


You Found Me

by Choni_Lover



Category: Archie Comics, Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-07
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2019-06-06 21:06:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 34,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15203477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Choni_Lover/pseuds/Choni_Lover
Summary: Every small town has their legends and Riverdale is no different. There was a family, The Blossoms. The upper class family consisted of the usual Husband and Wife and two kids with a white picket fence. Unfortunately though there was no house to match the white picket fence. Instead on the white picket fence was a memorial case filled with the faces of the Blossoms. From what’s been told no one actually knew how the fire happened all they knew was the family had died in the house with the fire. Legend also been told though as far as Toni is concerned rumor at best. The body of Cheryl Blossom was never found within the rubble with the rest of her family’s ashes. Everyone figured the six year old twin was kidnapped as the fire might have been a cover for a home invasion. Or as a few also believe the six year old was responsible for the fire and escaped into the night. Pretty silly to think a six year old can do such a thing and disappear into the night. Every day Toni walks by the house staring at the memorial of the family wondering what happened to the red head who matched her age which made her more intrigued. What happened to the Blossoms?





	1. Chapter 1

_The Blossoms were an upper-class family, A husband & wife with two kids. The Blossom twins, Jason and Cheryl they were inseparable no matter where they went. One day behind the white picket fence a fire had started and along with the fire it took the lives of the Blossoms along with Thornhill. The Blossoms; Cliff, Penelope, Jason, and Cheryl will be missed. Underneath the words of the memorial were the faces of the Blossoms. Every single day Toni would walk by and stare at this memorial wondering about what had happened to the Blossoms. No one actually knew how the fire had actually started. There were rumors of course, home invasion gone wrong, Cliff had gone crazy and killed them all. But the one that really baffled Toni there was one rumor that Cheryl Blossom the six-year-old twin at the time of the fire had started the fire herself and had ran away into the forest. To Toni that had made no sense I mean she knew why to some people that could be a possibility, according to the public reports in the library the ashes of Cheryl’s body was not found within the ashes of the fire or the rest of her families. But good God the child was six years old the age Toni was when the fire had happened, there was no way she could have had started the fire and disappear within the night. So what happened to the Blossoms?_

            “Good God Toni come on you’re going to make us late for school you stare at the memorial every day is it really that interesting?” Sweet Pea groans as he stops walking noticing Toni had fell behind stopping in front of what once was Thornhill. Fangs laughs a bit and nudges Sweet Pea, “Come on man you know Toni has had a crush on that red head since she was young always coming over here and checking out her picture.” Fangs laughs even harder when Toni throws a rock by his head as she yells in retort, “She’s dead Fangs you can’t have a crush on a dead girl.” Sweet Pea groans at the conversation as he keeps walking the forty-five-minute walk to school. About four years ago when they were all freshman someone had taken severe damage to South Side high and forced it to shut down resulting in everyone from South Side to attend Riverdale High, kind of hard to do without transportation. As Fangs once learned if you don’t attend the school because you don’t want to make the forty-five-minute walk, they send a truant officer to come and get you. So, the three walk to school every day but with Toni to stop everyday to look at the memorial their walk takes about an hour each day. “Thank goodness it’s our senior year this walk every day it becoming such a drag,” Sweet Pea complains as he lifts his arms behind his head grunting. “Yeah well I just can’t wait till we start doing some real work for the Serpents so we can finally spring for bikes just like our parents.” Sweet Pea quickly whacks Fangs upside the head leaning down to Fangs whispering angrily, “Parents?! Really Fangs what are you trying to do? Make Toni upset for the rest of the day?!” Fangs sheepishly looks behind to see Toni luckily, she wasn’t listening but looking in the distance thinking about the dead red head like she usually does every day. As soon as they step on school property before Toni could even get to the front door it slams open with an angry Principle Weatherbee in tow locking eyes on the three walking up, “Antoinette Topaz my office now!” As he points to the door glaring at Toni. She gladly smirks and rolls her eyes walking up the steps, she turns around and salutes, “See ya later boys I got a date with an angry man and I’m not talking about my Uncle,” as she winks before she turns back around.

            As soon as they get into the office Principle Weatherbee motions for Toni to take a seat as he sits down behind the desk sighing in anger. “You spray painted the gym,” Toni laughs, “How’d you know it was me? Because I’m a serpent? Weatherbee sighs, “Betty Cooper saw you after cheer leading practice of a pink haired girl coming and starting to spray paint the side of the gym, ‘North Side Sucks.’" Toni sighs in defeat and looks down at the ground in whispering, “Well they do.” Weatherbee starts again, “This behavior isn’t appropriate for schoo- “Toni retorts angrily, “Don’t reprimand me you’re not my father!” Weatherbee stops in his tracks staring at Toni sadly as Toni misses his pity and stares out the window, “When you first came to this school we offered a group for deceased parents. Have you attended any?” Toni scoffs in anger, “I don’t need a group to tell me my parents are dead or the fact that they won’t show up to my graduation and it’s not going to change the fact of what hap- “Toni stops and shakes her head in anger, “Never mind.” Weatherbee sits back in his chair, “Well due to your actions and it being close to graduation I have every sense in my being telling me to take away your school trip.” Toni looks up shocked and upset, “Weatherbee- “But he puts up his right hand in silence, “But since I know you’ve been saving up working at the Wrym all year I decided that for the next couple of your shifts at the Wrym you’ll be spending it helping the Janitor clean the school instead.” Toni sighs in relief, “Also Ms. Topaz we’ll make sure to keep a close eye on you on this trip understood? So, no stepping out of line or you’re done.” Toni nods her head in agreement.

           “Wow Weatherbee is cracking down hard on you this time, isn’t he?’ Sweet Pea muses as they walk down the hall after school. Toni just shrugs her shoulders acting a bit upset since Weatherbee brought up her parents. “Well hey at least you still get to go to Cali with us right?!” Sweet Pea nudges her shoulders trying to cheer her up. Toni smiles a bit thinking of California as that’s what the student body decided on their school trip. Since their finals and graduation are two weeks apart within those two weeks the Senior class get to spend 10 wonderful days down in Long Beach, California. The trip Toni has been saving up for all year to pay the school to go and she can’t wait. She’s never been out of Riverdale and she wonders what kind of new love and adventure is out there waiting for her.


	2. chapter 2

_In small towns change is a rarity around here. The schools have been the same since they were first built, the people are still the same close-minded people around. The thing that has changed over the years since Toni was a kid is Sweetwater River. Over the years Sweetwater River has been dissipating over the years, lower than the year before. It gives no signs to rising higher again. Due to the Sweetwater River being low the Maple trees had recently starting to die off as well, leaving Riverdale to be a shortage of the famous Blossom maple syrup. Maybe it was a sick metaphor, the Blossoms have passed about almost two decades ago so why not their Maple tree legacy as well?_

                “You almost ready to go Topaz? The bus is leaving in an hour and a half we need to get walking.” Sweet pea pounds on my bedroom door as I throw in my last set of clothes in my suitcase. After spending two weeks working with the janitor and working at the Wyrm I somehow passed my finals and am finally leaving on this trip. I close the suitcase and zip it up sighing a breath of relief. I’ve always wanted to leave this city and even if it is for a short time I finally get to leave. I grab my suitcase and swing my bedroom door open to a surprised Sweet pea about how fast I opened the door. He smirks, “Someone’s excited,” I roll my eyes and push him to the side, “and your not Sweets? This is a dream come true getting out of this dump.” But he just shrugs his shoulders and grabs his small duffel bag. As we start heading to school we pass by the memorial as Fangs opens his mouth to say something, “What’s Toni gonna do for a week without looking at her precious memorial?” Both Sweet pea and Fangs laugh at my expense, I roll my eyes and ignore them. “Yeah Tiny you stare at that thing every day should we take a picture for you and bring it with us?" They both laugh again. I huff out in anger and walk faster to pass them on our way to school. They don’t get it but really, I don’t even get it why am I obsessed with that memorial? Is it because if Cheryl that girl really is alive she feels and knows Toni’s pain of having no parents, no unconditional love, no soup when she’s sick, no kiss when she’s sad, no one. And what's even worse is all the pity looks you get when people see you walking down the hall or when they talk about their own parents, it's annoying. 

                  Once we get to school around six-am we all throw our bags in the back of the bus and we load the bus dreading the 15-hour ride it takes to get there cramped between the window and Fangs. As the bus pulls out the chatter starts to take off quickly, I listen in on the flow of conversations around me and I feel my whole body become numb. Everyone is talking about graduation more specifically about how their whole family is going to be there to watch them graduate and the presents they’ll receive. I feel tears starting to prickle my eyes, but I just close my eyes and shake my head as I reach for my earbuds I thankfully brought (a present from Fangs when we were kids) and I stick them in my ears and play my music. Once we reach Long Beach California the next day around nine-am we all get off the bus one by one as some random teacher gives us a slip of paper with our room numbers on it as we grab our bags and head out to the hotel. Nicely the hotel was across from the beach so I go to the end of the lawn to see out into the ocean. Honestly it smells awful like to much salt on your French fries at Pop’s or something. I turn my head over to the rocks and very quickly I see the color red but when I blink it’s gone. “Wow.” Not knowing Sweet pea was next to me he says, “What you looking at?” I look up at him, “Did you see a flash of red by the rocks?” Sweet pea scrunches his eyebrows back at me, “I just think you’re sleep deprived Tiny like the rest of us, come on let’s get to our rooms.” We head back to the hotel, but I can’t stop thinking of the flash of red, what was it? Of course, with Serpents going to a North Side school for four years they obviously still don’t know how to be around us for I got a room to myself with two beds. Since I’m the only girl Serpent that came on this trip I wonder if the boys got the same treatment. Since I didn’t do a lot of talking on the bus like the rest of the others I got a lot of sleep unlike the others. They had told us our activities will not start until the next day for this day was for everyone to have a rest period, so I decide to put my bathing suit on and go explore the beach it’s so beautiful. Living on the poor side I can’t really afford much not to mention I spent the past year saving up to go on this trip including not eating for a day here and there, but one day I’m going to get myself a camera. I think it’s a sick irony you know? For someone so poor I have the heart to do so much like travel or do photography but in my position its near impossible. Now that I’m walking down the beach it had just occurred to me that maybe I was supposed to tell one of the adults I was going out, what if I get lost or taken? Not to mention Weatherbee told me I already was on thin ice and not to mess up or they would take me back. But about the whole disappearing thing? Honestly that doesn’t sound too bad anyways I mean who would miss me anyway? I unconsciously go to touch my necklace I wear every day and never have taken it off, it was my mother’s I think, she had given it to me a very long time ago. It’s dumb but it’s all I have left of her and I plan to keep it close to me. I still think the ocean smells even more now that I’m closer, but the sand feels nice between my toes for I had ditched my shoes somewhere behind me to get the full effects of the beach. As I’m walking down further down I realize I’ve been walking for quite a while now and I was coming to this secluded place with a bunch of rocks. Perfect. I climb up on top of them being careful knowing they’re slick and I sit down to watch the waves. After a while I realize the water level is starting to rise and it’s getting a bit more thrashy, so I start to head down when my foot slips. I barley catch myself in between rocks when suddenly a small but powerful wave hits me and so I hang on to the rock dearly but when the wave passes over me I feel my neck to feel my necklace gone. I start to freak out looking all around me when I barley can see that the same wave was carrying it back out to sea. I freak out and stupidly let go of the rocks to go pursue my necklace. It was a stupid idea I can barely swim from what little practice I’ve had at Sweetwater River and the ocean isn’t friendly. I barely get my necklace onto my fingers to grab it when another wave hits and it bounces off and drifts off. I feel myself starting to drown but I didn’t care I wanted my necklace, but it got dark. I was underwater I can’t swim, and I can’t reach my necklace, I try to fight to get to the top, but my arms can’t stand the strength of the ocean. I’m going to drown and for what? To save something that was already dead? I close my eyes thinking what to do but when I open them back up I see Red and I feel myself being pulled out of the water.


	3. Chapter 3

_They say before you die there’s those few moments between life and death. Between life and death some say you see your life pass you by in memories, while others feel nothing. Some say there’s life after death whether it’s Heaven or Hell. Or there’s the whole coming back again in a different body, but no one can really know._

            I feel myself jerk up and roll over to the side spitting up water viciously as I feel my body jerk into the unstable ground. If you think puking up while drunk is harsh, they’ve never puked back up water after almost drowning in your own body. I gasp for air like I had just ran a marathon while trying to grip my hands on to the warm sand but it’s hard to do when sand is about almost nonexistent. I feel my body start to shake furiously and shiver right after like a time clock. I was so caught up in trying to control my body after drowning I didn’t see the shadow that was looming over me as I turn a bit to look up being blinded by the harsh sun that decided to pop out behind the clouds.

**Red**

 

      That’s the first thing I notice about the very tall pale girl looming over me. Her red hair I almost feel like I’m in the little mermaid movie, I grew up poor not uncultured. She sees me glance up at her as she goes to speak. “You know it’s very dumb for a girl who obviously can’t swim to just jump into the ocean during the beginning of a vicious tide.” I scoff. Okay Little mermaid has got an attitude, I go to retort but I turn over spitting up more water instead, wiping my mouth I let out a cold laugh. “Well I’m not from around here,” I go to reach for my neck remembering why I jumped in the water in the first place. My heart breaks a little when I don’t feel it, of course I didn’t make it. I feel the sand move below my feet as the girl shifts over to stand next to my head instead of looming over me as I see her squat down next me, “obviously your not from here everyone that lives by a beach knows not to jump in a tide even if they can swim,” I go to roll my eyes as I see her pull something out of her pocket that I now notice that she’s soaked as well. “Also, they know not to bring jewelry with them if they know it’s of value, though judging by this it’s not expensive so I’m guessing someone you love gave it to you.” I don’t reply as i'm to hung up by the fact she had my necklace in her hands, a necklace I never have taken off since my mother gave it to me at a very young age. I feel her arms around my neck and a stop breathing scared she is going to hurt me, so I flinch a little but then I feel the cold chain back around my neck as she pulls back her arms. I reach down to hold the small silver heart as I whisper, “Thank You.” She just stares back at me solemnly almost as if she had no emotions to begin with, this girl she looks alive but, in her eyes, she looks like she had died a long time ago. Suddenly my mind goes back to the memorial back home as the girl in front of me has the same hair as the girl in the picture. But that girl in the memorial box she was happy so full of life in her eyes, the girl in front of me looks totally different. I sit up a bit as my body screams at me for almost trying to kill myself as I wince a bit as my shirt rides up. The girl lowers her gaze to look at my exposed stomach almost as if she were checking me out but when I look down I notice she’s looking at the bruises laying across my torso as I hurriedly put my shirt back down embarrassed, but her face doesn’t change. “Must have been from being thrashed around in the water,” I quickly lie. She goes to stand back up to walk back towards the rocks that are now covered in water as the sea level has rose I’m guessing by the tide she was talking about earlier, I don’t know why but I go to follow her, “Hey!” she stops briefly to turn around watching me catch up to her but quickly slow down as my body is still recovering, “You really shouldn’t do activity after almost drowning,” she states. I blush a bit not knowing why as I rub the back of my head nervously, “I uh just wanted to thank you for saving me back there and retrieving my necklace it is very important to me and would be crushed if it were gone forever.” She just stares at me again with no emotion as if she were dead but then she replies after a few, “So where you from?” I look out into the ocean and reply, “a tiny place called Riverdale.” If I didn’t know any better, I could swear I saw her flinch in the corner of my eye as I turn to look back at her. “Never heard of it,” She says. I laugh a bit bitterly thinking about that shitty town and everything in it as I go to reply, “Yeah well I’m not surprised I swear it just got put on the map a few years ago yet it’s been around since the beginning of time I could think.” She turns to go walk away again but I grab her wrist that’s freezing due to her probably being soaked like me, “Can I buy you a cup of coffee or something? After all you did jump in the ocean to come and save me and my necklace.” I don’t know what possessed me to offer I know I only have so much money for the ten days we were going to be here, and I did want to get a souvenir or something, but it’s just a cup of coffee with a really pretty girl. She turns and smirks a bit, “How did you know I already wasn’t in the ocean and I just happened to see you underneath the water?” I smile back, finally an emotion out of this girl. “Because you’re from here,” I reply as she smiles back.

        I’m now lucky I have my own room, so I can smuggle a stranger back into the hotel without anyone noticing or opening their mouths wondering what kind of deviant behavior I’m up to. I insisted I give the girl a new change of clothes for hers were soaking and it was all my fault for trying to drown, and after some persistence she agreed, even though strangely she acted like leaving the beach was a sin. I shut the door and lock it even though no one can get into the room without a key you can never know since I’m pretty sure bringing in a stranger is against the rules. I turn back towards her and rummage through my suitcase as she just stands there watching me again with no emotion. I finally pull out a top and shorts and hand them to her softly smiling, “Here you can also shower in the bathroom if you wish you kind of smell like salt water.” She warmly smiles back at me and laughs a bit and walks to the bathroom and closes it. I lay back on the bed after stripping down to my bra and underwear not wanting to soak my bed with my clothes, although now my pillow is going to smell like the ocean that now reminds me of death.

         Finally, about an hour later the girl finally emerges from the bathroom looking a little less dead, more beautiful even. She looks up and blushes a bit when she sees I’m only in my bra and underwear waiting to use the shower, which by judging how long she was in there for guess I’m taking a cold one. “Sorry I wanted to lay down and didn’t want to get my bed wet, hope you don’t mind.” I quickly chastise myself it’s my room why should I care if she’s the one comfortable or not she just used all my hot water. She just shakes her head and smiles and when I walk pass her with my clothes going to quickly shower I could swear I felt her checking me out as I closed the door.

         Sneaking her in was easy sneaking her out was a bit harder since it was getting later everyone was starting to wake up and leave their rooms in search of food and beverages. I grab her hand as we hurriedly walk down the hall as I see doors start to open and teenagers start to come out luckily their still in a tired daze not noticing me slip by with a bright red head. We get outside of the hotel still holding hands, “Well smarty pants since you’re from here which way is a good coffee shop?” She blushes a bit hiding her face by looking down as she quickly looks at me, “Well I don’t come up here often so I’m not really sure maybe that way?” As she points to the right towards shops and crowds of people. I squeeze her hand in reassurance kind of not wanting to let go but I do I barley know the girl as we start to head right. She insisted on waiting outside sitting at a table while I stand in line getting coffee for the both of us gasping at the expensive price for coffee down here, almost eight bucks. In Riverdale the most expensive we get is about five bucks if even that. I look around at the place and notice the cool artwork and the cool expressive people and the wonderful smell of coffee. It’s refreshing to see different people and colors on people, Riverdale it’s stale and boring I guess gloomy even you could say. I get up in line and the girl with the long brown hair turns to look at me with gorgeous green eyes, “What can I get for you?” It just occurred to me the Red head never even told me what she wanted so I just order two plain vanilla lattes and scones now noticing that i'm actually starving, and walk back outside to sit down in front of her. I notice again she’s trying hard to hide her face and she squirms looking a bit uncomfortable. I reach across and grab her hand again rubbing circles on the back furrowing my eyebrows in worry for who knows why, “Are you okay? We don’t have to stay if you don’t want to we can head back to your place or the beach.” She quickly shakes her head and whispers she was okay. “You know,” I sit back up straight taking my hand back, “You never even told me your name.” She sits up matching me as she smirks, “Same with you swimmer.” I laugh at her nickname and hold out my hand for her to shake, “Toni Topaz aka shark bait.” She laughs at me retort to her joke as she grabs my hand and shakes it, “Sharon,” she replies. “Sharon?” I question, “You don’t look like a Sharon.” She replies drinking her coffee and hums I’m guessing due to the taste, “What do I look like then?” I think hard as my mind kind of drifts back to the memorial back home to that happy little girl in the box. “I don’t know but sure not a Sharon.” As we both continue to make small talk drinking our lattes.


	4. Chapter 4

_The thing about loss is you truly never recover. No one who has suffered loss tells you the worst part of never being the same again. It’s a thing you carry with you for the rest of your life and depending how close you are with them and just who you are as a person also decides in usually how messed up you get. Will I ever be the same again?_

            After their mini coffee date or the thank you coffee thing Toni should call it Toni had offered to walk Sharon home but weirdly she got upset and refused profusely stating that it was okay and she could walk home herself. Toni found it a bit odd but just decided to leave it and walk back to the hotel knowing everyone should be up and awake by now and could only hope the teachers themselves were still asleep to not reprimand Toni or worse, send her home.

            I had gotten up to her floor walking out of the elevator when I felt two bodies basically tackle me to the ground as they laughed. “Where’ve you been Tiny?” Fangs laughs as Sweet Pea grunts, “Yeah pinky we’ve been looking for you everywhere even to your room, which lucky you that you got one to yourself.” Sweet Pea grunts in anger. Fangs just waves him off as Fangs happily picks up Toni from the ground where they had tackled her, “Don’t mind him Toni he’s just upset because he has to share with Reggie Mantle.” Sweet Pea retorts back, “Yeah well we all can’t get to share our room with their crush, so I guess we all better wear ear plugs tonight cause these walls are thin.” Sweet Pea teases. Fangs face turns beet red as he retorts back in anger to Sweet Pea for being embarrassed, “You don’t even like guys but there’s no better way to start than to try with Reggie Mantle captain of the football team.” Fangs gleams in happiness as Sweet Pea goes to shove Fangs when I step in between them, “Boys! Boys! Boys! Can’t act civil at home but were in a new city can’t you guys act like civil people for ten days!” The boys continue to glare at each other, but I step on both of their foots and don’t let up when their faces squirm, “fine” they both say in unison.

           Due to the boys asking for permission something I honestly forgot to do earlier the three of us go into the city a bit looking for a good place to eat, but of course the three of us can’t agree on a place;

“What about burgers?” Fangs asks.

“Really? Like we don’t get enough of those back home? Why can’t we try something new for once?’ I plead knowing the boys just always want a quick bite of a good meat slab, especially Fangs no pun intended.

“Well did you see any good places earlier when you came out here?’ Sweet Pea asks but I shake my head,

“No, I told you I just went to the beach.” I reply.

“Yeah and almost drowned.” Fangs pouts.

       Earlier I did tell them I went out to the beach and did almost drown because now honestly, I’m kind of afraid of the water. You try heaving it out of your body over and over again it’s awful. But I didn’t tell them that I met a red head there or that I snuck her in my room and took her out for coffee. I love the boys I do, but some things I like to keep to myself and she feels like I should keep her a secret for now. As we keep walking we come across this one shack where it says they sell everything across the menu including burgers, so we walk in.

      After dinner the boys decided that before going back to the hotel for curfew which was 11 before they do bed checks they wanted to stop by the beach and possibly do some skinny dipping. We pull up to the beach as the boys automatically strip down to their underwear and jump in. I stay on shore this time and decided to sit in the sand and play around in it. A little bit later as the boys are still messing in the water and I’m a good amount in digging a hole in the sand I see something out of the corner of my eye and look to the right near the rocks I went to earlier in the day. I feel like my mind is playing tricks on me again as I see a flash of red again near the rocks. I automatically think of the red head pale girl Sharon I had met earlier that day and honestly, I feel my heart drop a bit. Now that I think about it I don’t think I’m ever going to see that girl again and that actually makes me feel something. I shake my head in disbelief I barley or even if at all know the girl I can’t miss her don’t be stupid Topaz. Suddenly I feel cold and wet and I shriek looking away from the rocks and up at a smirking Sweet Pea for soaking me. “Oh, you’re on Sweets,” I angrily gleam as he starts running down the beach towards the hotel as I run after him taking one last look at the rocks and the red I thought I saw was gone.

DAY 1

      I can’t believe were on vacation and our asses still get woken up at 7am. Who invents the mornings anyway as I groan as one of the teachers keep banging on my door saying that we all had to be down in an hour for student count to start our activities for the day. I slowly get up and automatically head for the shower to wake my ass up. As the water glides down my body I start to think how close graduation really is. I would like to think my parents would be proud of me if they were around still, I know damn well my uncle won’t be there for my graduation that drunk of a man. For the years I’ve been with him growing up all that man has ever cared about is how many bottles he can down before he passes out cold for a night. To be honest those were always the good nights for me if he passed out early. I unconsciously wrap my arms around my torso lightly knowing the bruises and welts were still fresh just like the memory of his hard hits and kicks were still in my mind. I go to wipe away a stray tear that had fell down my face and scoff at it. I’m not going to cry about how sad my life is nor about what’s on my body, I should be used to the abuse by now and how happy I’m going to be when I graduate and the first thing I’m doing is leaving that awful place and town. Sure, the boys will miss me, and I’ll miss them but they got their families and the gang which is more than what I got. To be honest I really did try to make the gang my family I did but it’s not the same and I don’t think it ever will be. I turn off the water escaping my mind as I get out and start getting dressed and putting my wet hair up since I’m short for time and can’t blow dry it. I wear my bathing suit underneath just in case one of the activities have to do with water even though I don’t plan on going in at all.

      We all meet downstairs as one of the teachers mention we’ll be put in different groups for the day and were all doing different activities as we will switch off during the ten days were here. I don’t believe in luck as life has never seemed to give me any and I’m still proven right when I don’t get put in the same group as the boys. It also comes to show again that the activity my group is doing today just happens to be fucking surfing. As we start to head out the boys try to comfort me in saying the water wasn’t that bad, but I shrug them off in anger and just keep walking towards the beach with my group. Did I also mention I got put in a group with all North Side girls that seem to hate my guts probably due to the fact I’m a serpent and they find me weird for having no family? That’s another reason I don’t tell the boys things they don’t get it no one does. People hate me for being a south side serpent that the boys do get. But another part is I’m an outcast for having no family and I hear them whispering behind my back about how I wasn’t raised properly and how I was probably even raised by real snakes. Now I’m going to get another thing added to my list when they find out my new fear of water once I refuse to surf. Today is going to be a blast.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All this cuteness made me wish I had a girl

_They say when you wear a mask for so long that you become that mask, absorb it even. If that’s true if I take off this mask, who am I? Because I’m not sure who I even am anymore without it._

         I don’t know what’s worse, the fact I’m standing in front of my new phobia, the water. Or the fact that we need to wear our bathing suits for this activity and I can already hear the whispering now when I have to take off my clothes revealing my bikini and my body. The lifeguard in front of us explaining on how it’s going to go insisted that wearing clothes isn’t ideal for the ocean due to the water being able to drag you down easier with the extra weight of your clothes, yeah learned that one already buddy. Not to mention I never took of my necklace like it was ever gonna happen in the first place, as I go to shred off my clothes like all the other girls including the two HBIC girls, Betty & Veronica.

        Once I shed my clothes off about ten seconds later when all the other girls were done stripping I hear the gasps of shock and horror on what lies against my body, and I shiver in the attention. It’s not like I’m ashamed of my body but I’m not so sure this is my body anymore hasn’t felt that way in a long time, I hear one of the bitches whisper;

“That’s what happens when you’re in a gang you get those ugly things.” Betty, I learned it was whispers to Veronica. Sure, she wasn’t wrong, but these were different as I try to hold back my tears from the memories.

“Ladies enough whispering,” the teacher warns, I would almost thank her if it wasn’t for the fact she only said that so the lifeguard can keep talking.

“I would like a volunteer would anyone like to go first?” As the fine tall blonde lifeguard looks around as Betty & Veronica both shoot their hands up in plea. I roll my eyes as much as I find guys attractive too, desperation isn’t cute.

“How about you?” as the lifeguard looks directly at me ignoring the pleads of the two other girls who are now staring holes into the side of my head as I gulp.

“That’s quite alright,” I stamper.

“I bet she doesn’t even know how to swim,” Veronica scoffs.

“That’s alright we got life jackets,” the lifeguard sweetly smiles at me and hands me one and guides me over to the surfboard.

“Just jump right on and I’ll push you out a bit and show you the next step.” I start to shake a bit hesitant to get on,

     “Shouldn’t we practice on the beach first?” But he just shakes his head agreeing in the water would be better. He pushes me a bit out as I strap on the life jacket and try to hold back my tears as my anxiety start to kick in remembering what had taken place the day before. I grip the surfboard and lock my knees as I see some waves come in to shore as I hear the lifeguard telling me to stand up, but I don’t listen as the first small wave passes under me and I try so hard holding in a scream.

     “That was a good try, but this time try standing up!” I hear the lifeguard yell and the other girls laughing at my failure and possibly my fear which is stupid considering my fear is actually relevant when girls like them usually fear over a bad hair day. I look up and see a big wave coming in this time. “This one’s perfect!” I hear the lifeguard yell. I go to stand up but when the wave gets closer my mind flashbacks to me clinging to the rocks for dear life when the tide was coming in, I freak out at the last second and hold on to my necklace since I knew I was going down. As soon as I grab my necklace the wave hits a second later and I feel myself go under again and I start to freak out swimming frantically with one arm as I feel the jacket pull me back up above water.

       I sprout up above the water coughing and shaking almost like the day before but with my necklace clutched in my hand safe, as I feel the lifeguard help me stand up. “That was a good try we can do it again,” but I shake my head in fear and anger as I see him give me pity eyes and all the girls laughing and smirking at me.

       I snatch my arm out of his grasp and storm out of the water taking off the life jacket. I throw it off the ground and look up seeing the girls giving me dirty smirks, “wow another thing a South Sider can’t do, swim!” as the girls burst out laughing again.

       I shake my head and grab my clothes and start storming back towards the hotel, “Antionette Topaz, where do you think you’re going?!” one of the teacher yells walking after me so I start running back. As I was running off the beach I could have sworn I saw a flash of red by the rocks but this time I didn’t care to look and see. As soon as I get into my room I slam the door and sit on the bed and start to cry, sob even. I start scratching at myself ashamed of what I look like and how stupid I’m acting. I get up to go in the bathroom to go look in the mirror and grovel even more when I hear the door knock lightly. I’m a bit taken aback knowing if it was one of the pissed off teachers following back to my room they’d be pounding the door. I go to open the door without looking at the peep hole which was dumb, I’ve seen "Taken" again I’m not uncultured except I don’t have a dad who would come and find me. But what was behind the door was more surprising than kidnappers,

“uhm, Sharon?” I ask confused as she waves nervously.

“Hi, I saw you down at the beach and was wondering if you were okay?” I look at her weirdly with my eyebrows furrowed. I lean out of the room a little bit looking both ways, as I grab her arm and pull her in the room and close the door.

“I don’t know what you saw at the beach but I’m fine.” I retort a bit on edge scared. I look up at her noticing she was looking my bruises but, in my surprise, it was in curiosity and wonder not disgust and pity like the others.

“must have been from being thrashed in the water yesterday,” I lie smoothly as I go to throw my shirt back on, she may not be disgusted but I am.

“Those look a bit old.” I instantly get angry as I look away from her and snap, “Yeah well it’s not any of your business anyway now is it?” I cross my arms angrier for someone trying to ask me about my life, something that's never happened to me before, no one cares.

“I’m sorry,” and I don’t know if it was the way she said it or what, but I felt a wave of guilt rush through me as my heart strings pull towards the girl as I instantly reply,

“No I shouldn’t have snapped I’m sorry,” and to my surprise she giggled at that.

     I uncross my arms confused and turn towards her as she’s a bit bent over a bit with her hand covering her plumb lips with her eyes closed. “What? Why are you laughing?” I ask a bit irritated but more curious, who laughs at an apology? She stops a bit and looks up and smiles and I felt something deep in my stomach start to move but I ignore it.

“You don’t seem like the type to apologize is all.” I blush instantly and look away,

“yeah well you uh did come up all the way from the beach far by the rocks to come see me so I shouldn’t be such a bitch I guess.” When I look back over she had moved closer to me and for some reason that made me nervous,

“How did you know I was by the rocks?” she asks confused and if I didn’t know any better a bit scared.

“Since I’ve arrived here I’ve been looking at the ocean every day and every time I look by the rocks I see a flash of red and well that must be you right? I’m not seeing things?” I question myself. She nervously looks around and after a few seconds she goes to answer when I hear the door bang and we both jump, and my face turns pale.

“Oh my gosh you got to hide,” I whisper as I grab her wrist.

“Hide?! Why do I got to hide?” she retorts as she leans over with me as if we were hiding from the door itself. I notice her red tang top hangs low and as she’s leaning over her cleavage shows a bit and I lick my lips. I shake my head a bit because now is not the time and she totally caught me staring and now she’s blushing.

“That’s probably one of my teachers mad that I ran away and I’m pretty sure she’d be even more pissed if she finds out I brought a stranger to my hotel room which I’m pretty sure is against some rule.” I shove her in the bathroom as I hear the door bang again as the teacher shouts my name in anger, oh great as I go to answer the door. “Antionette Topaz you are in so much trouble young lady running off like that, what were you thinking?!” the teacher lets herself in as I go to close my door flinching at the yelling trying not to have flashback right now of my Uncle. “I told the lifeguard I didn’t want to do it,” I mumble. But she replies just as angry, “Doing the activities is a part of this trip and if you don’t start cooperating I will not hesitate to call Principle Weatherbee and get you off parole and sent back home as you are already on thin ice young lady.” I shake my head going to walk near her trying to get her to understand, “I’m terrified of water don’t you get it! I almost drowned once almost resulting in death and I am terrified to go back in especially since I can’t swim!” I retort in fear and sadness of being sent back home. The teacher looks at me with pity which I hate so I look away as she sighs, “Well your group was planning on doing surfing for the rest of the day for the activity, but you are free to do something else as you wish as long as you report to bed check at 11pm like everyone else.” She goes to leave the room as I thank her and wait for her to fully close the door as I sigh a breath of relief as I go to open the bathroom door.

“Sorry about that,” I apologize again as I chastise myself again for apologizing to this girl, what is wrong with me? “Your afraid of the water?” she asks a bit confused. “Well you know after yesterday and coughing and the pain, a bit yeah.” I nearly whisper not feeling like opening up especially to a stranger.

“Since you seem to be free until eleven, how would you feel hanging with me?” she asks nervously, and I laugh. It feels nice for someone to be nervous wanting to hang out with me for once.

“What do you have in mind?” I smirk and cross my arms. She smiles and takes my hand and drags me back out of the hotel.

* * *

 

 “You know when I asked what you had in mind this isn’t what I was hoping for.” If you had guessed she had brought me back to the ocean near the water, you were right, and I was not.

“Water isn’t that bad once you learn how to swim and go with the flow.” She gleams up at me while she’s bent down playing with the water. I’ll admit she’s seemingly beautiful, her hair is cascaded down the side and she looks so peaceful and not dead like she did yesterday when she had saved me from my death. She stands back up,

“Well you got to strip you can’t swim in your clothes the water will drag you down.” She tells me quite confused why I haven’t jumped and stripped yet, I glare at her.

“I’m not getting in,” I retort angrily and cross my arms.

“not even with me?” I look towards her pouting as she sticks out her bottom lip and pouts a bit as she somehow made her eyes bigger and sadder, you’ve got to be kidding me as I roll my eyes

“I almost drowned yesterday if you don’t remember.” I angrily sigh looking down at the sand playing with it.

“I was the one who saved you if you don’t remember,” she retorts back a bit angry herself but sounding more tired of arguing.

“What better person to teach you than who saved you, wouldn’t you agree Topaz?” I look up shocked,

“Topaz? Oh, you’re so on.”

      I run after her down the beach as she squeals and starts treading down the sand getting away from me laughing. “Gotcha!” I jump on her back as we both fall using her as my cushion as she lays under me as I turn her over so were facing each other panting.

“I pictured you as a top,” she sweetly replies as I shoot my eyebrows up in surprise,

“You’ve thought about me?” she turns beat red as she must have not meant to say that out loud as she struggles to escape below me, so I stand up pulling her with me

“Can we please get in the water now?” she worryingly replies. Before she can escape into the water I grab her hands, “Hey woah it’s okay, what’s wrong?” I rub circles on the back of her hand again just like yesterday, as she looks down scared as hell.

“N-nothing’s wrong I just want to really get in the water.” She takes her hand back quickly out of my grasp playing with her hands. I sigh knowing what I should do, I strip. As I fully take off my shirt that’s of course when she looks up and looks at my stomach. I also look down to look at my barley fading bruises. I turn away from her and walk towards the water,  “Well are you coming?” I retort I bit scared and angry for her making me do this.

* * *

 

      I firmly grasp her torso as she pulls me back up from the water as a failed to do what she wanted me to do for the fifth time, I’m gasping for air a bit angry that I failed again and the fact I got in the water again in the first place.

“Treading water isn’t hard,” she sighs a bit impatiently as I stand up still holding her torso afraid I’m gonna wash away as another wave flows under us as I grasp harder.

“Obviously it is I can’t do this I’m done.” I go to let go of her shaking to get out of the water when surprisingly she goes to wrap her arms around my neck.

“It would be easier if you would just stop worrying about the necklace and take it off and leave it on the beach as I’ve said before important jewelry doesn’t belong in the ocean.” She sighs angrily as I go back to retort just as angry,

“Yeah well like I’ve said before I’m not taking it off.” I firmly shake my head and go to hold my necklace. She shakes her head and removes her arms from my neck and I shiver at the loss of the warm contact in this freezing ocean.

“Why don’t we take a break from swimming today?” she questions.

    I go to mumble, “or for life,” as we both go to walk out of the ocean not realizing our hands were brushing each step we took.

* * *

 

    Once we reach back to the hotel I go into spy mode grabbing Sharon’s hand and take each corner carefully not wanting to get caught. She blushes hard due to the contact and usually I’d make a comment but I’m to busy sneaking a girl into my room. When we reach one corner I see a kid from one of the groups come out of his room and I went to go pull Sharon out of the hall, but it was too late I was hidden but Sharon was out in the open as I dropped her hand to not be seen behind the wall, feeling bad leaving her in the open as the guy walks over.

“Well hey there I haven’t seen you around before.” I gag a bit knowing I can see the dudes stupid smirk in my head using that damn line.

“Well of course you haven’t you’re not from here,” Sharon bites back. I smile a little a bit proud for her not falling for his dumb line.

“Well hey my group is out I came back to change real fast but maybe we can go grab a coffee or something.” I frown again feeling a bit jealous, but I shake my head not knowing why I need to be jealous it’s not like she’s mine or anything.

“No thank you I already have plans,” she declines as I smile even harder. She wants to spend time with me.

“Are you sure? I bet Long Beach has some great coffee.” He insists as I roll my eyes, obviously she ain’t interested buddy move along.

“Actually, they do and I had a really nice cup yesterday with a great girl,” As I see her smile proudly but don’t see the dudes reaction as he got quiet. I hear him mumble something as he slips by Sharon a bit angrily and walk past me hidden in the corner. I remove myself from the corner as I see Sharon with her head down and her hands shaking a bit. I go to grab one of them my eyebrows furrowed worried as she tries to pull away, but I tighten my grip and drag her to my room quickly. Once I close the door I sit her down on my bed and kneel in front of her trying to lift her head from her shaking hands.

“Hey hey hey, talk to me what’s wrong?” as I see her lip starting to tremble as well and tears start to drop from her beautiful brown orbs. I let go of her hands and cup her face trying to wipe them away,

“What did he say to you?” She stays silent for a few more moments as she goes to speak,

“Dyke,” as she cries a bit more. I look at her a bit confused, I mean I know the word is rude not like I haven’t been called that before, but it doesn’t hurt me that much. She goes to stand up embarrassed trying to move me out of the way but I grab her arms trying to get her to calm down,

“Hey it’s okay that guy is a jerk as most are from Riverdale if not all of them,” I rub her arms soothingly as I pull her down to the bed with me as she lays her head on my shoulder. I keep rubbing her arms for a little bit as I look down and notices she fell asleep. I turn my body slowly as I pull back my covers and move her over on one of the many pillows the hotel gave and put the blanket over her. I look at the clock and notice it’s about one in the afternoon as I pull back the covers scooting myself in next to her. I sigh as I close my eyes and quickly fall asleep knowing when I wake up my Uncle won’t be looming around waiting to scream at me, what I call a vacation.

     I hear banging on the door as I wake up with a start and freak a bit when I feel arms tighten around me. I quickly get up and out of their grasp and turn to see a certain hurt red head laying in my bed looking down. I instantly feel relief and then a bit guilty as I see a bit of tears form in her eyes again. Before I could say anything I hear the door pound again as i flinch at the harsh noise, “Topaz? Yo you in there?” Sweet Pea’s booming voice echoes in the room. I glance at the clock and notice it’s about five in the evening as I tell her to be quiet as I go to open the door a speak.

“Keep it down Sweet Pea this is a hotel not the freaking Trailer Park,” I chastise while trying to slow my heartbeat, it's not my Uncle. 

“Yeah whatever, look I heard you didn’t stay with your group today, is everything okay? Those North Side bitches didn’t get to you, did they?” As mad as I was at him for waking me up in an awful way his concern makes my heart melt a little,

“I’m fine let’s just say me and the activity didn’t see eye to eye today,” I deepen as I think back to earlier.

“Alright well me and Fangs are thinking about going out to explore you care to join? Were done with our activity today.”

“You guys go ahead I’m gonna get ready and I’ll catch up in a bit,” I smile as he gives me a weird look and I shut the door.

     I walk back over to the bed as I see Sharon stand by the bed looking nervous and I feel guilt wash over me again,

“I’m sorry for the mini freak out the door scared me and when I felt arms around me I got even more scared forgetting we slept together.” I chuckled a bit by the double meaning but stop when I see her play with her hands again,

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, I was asleep and I guess I love cuddling.” she says nervously.

     I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her torso, “I didn’t mind at all,” I confess.

     She smiles up at me and I smile back. I went to go lean in and either she was leaning with me or my mind was playing tricks but right before we were about to kiss my phone rings and we both jump apart. I roll my eyes and grab my phone to answer it,

“What!” I snap being interrupted. Fangs on the other line starts stuttering,

“T-Toni come on don’t be like that but me and Sweets miss you and he said you were acting weird just come down and meet us at the pier.” I roll my eyes and shut my phone when I turn to see Sharon giggling at my anger.

“Not you too,” I whine a bit as she giggles even more.

“You should go hang out with you friends I should be heading out anyway.” I instantly frown and try and stop her,

“Wait you don’t have to go we can do something else.” I plea, and I internally roll my eyes at myself realizing how sappy I sounded. But she turns a bit and smiles at me in return.

“maybe we’ll run into each other again, thanks for today Toni.” Then she walks out the door and I’m left stumped about this mysterious girl that I almost kissed in the middle of my hotel room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this whole Cheryl tops debate, I fully believe Toni and Cheryl switch positions from time to time.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! Major writers block and then i went on vacation ): But here it is!!! On Choni day!!!

_You know what’s a sick game? Could you imagine being OCD and depressed? Why those two specific things you ask, right? OCD people love organization and order and schedules. But being depressed, the same schedule every day seems like entrapment ya know? Can I really do the same thing over and over again every day? It’s entrapment, slavery in my own life._

**Day 2**

    Thankfully our group today isn’t doing anything water related today I don’t think that bitch of a teacher would let me out of two activities within two days. No today we all got up at 6am to come to an aquarium at 8am. Not that I don’t find them fascinating I do, but I don’t know these fish to me just seem sad. Were on a rotating floor kind of like an escalator but with no stairs which is kind of cool as we pass all these tanks with different fish swimming around. As one clown fish passes me it reminds me of Nemo and all those other fish who were miserable to be in a tank all day every day, no escape, I sigh. 

“Only can a South Sider be brought to a sick place and see cool creatures and still be depressed,” Betty scoffs over to Veronica who gives me a wary look back.

        Yeah like what would a North Sider know anything about entrapment anyway? Snap of their fingers and they get what they want, where as me? My life is entrapment, no way out.

“I assure you these fish are very much happy and in a safe environment where they can help breed more of their kind without the fear of being dinner for another big fish,” The tour guide who had came to stand next to me to speak, must have heard Betty’s big mouth about me being depressed about the damn fish. The fact he’s trying to cheer me up just makes me roll my eyes as we keep gliding past the tanks, I swore I could have seen of the Mollies give me an “Help Me” look when we had passed over.

     Coming to the end of the tour there of course was a gift shop filled with toys and other goodies. I was drawn to the shark toys as I went to go pick up a White Shark plastic toy thinking it was cool looking when I had heard Veronica speak,

“Sorry Serpent looks like there are no snakes for you here.” Veronica laughs,

“Guess Daddy will be disappointed, won’t he?” I bite back as I hear Veronica try to walk over to me as Betty pulls her back.

“Good thing there’s plenty of ice in here to cover that burn for you.” I smirk as Veronica goes to yell back at me the teacher comes over of course,

“That’s enough girls do I have to remind you we are in public and to act appropriately and Ms. Topaz do I need to remind you of your own thin ice here?” As the teacher gives me a pointed look, of course I would be the one in trouble I roll my eyes as I mumble “No,” in response.

      As she walks away I walk over to the cashier as put the toy shark on the counter to pay for it. “That’s a cool looking jacket where did you get it?” The young poor naive boy had asked me as he rings up my shark. “My gang after my initiation.”

      I solemnly say as I know what usually comes next. “O-oh yeah that’s uhm cool.”

      As he shockingly hands me my shark back and my change that he almost drops on the floor from shaking to hard. I hear giggling behind me as I go to move away from the cashier as I hear the girls whisper to him not so quietly mind you,

     “I’m surprised she didn’t bite you sir, people like her that come from them are good at that.” Betty whispers.

      I feel tears start to form as I pull out my earbuds and pull over my hoodie as I walk out of the store with my shark in hand tuning out the rest of the world.

* * *

 

      Since the aquarium was our only activity for the day I’m sitting at the beach listening to music while playing with my shark in the sand. Being alone is so easy, ya know? I got no one to judge or ridicule me for who I am or where I come from and I don’t have to pretend what they say don’t bother me. But of course, all that is interrupted in two seconds as I see a tall boy with pink hair in front of me. I squint up blinded by the sun as I’m about to tell pinky to fuck off here when I notice I know this pink haired boy,

     “SWEET PEA?! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!” I take out my ear buds he scowls more when Fangs pops up next to him,

     “Two words Tiny, Reggie Mantle.” Fangs shakes his head putting his hand on Sweet Pea’s shoulder. “Or those Fuckers are the two words I’d use right now.” Sweet Pea clenches his teeth.

“How on earth did he do that to you?” I ask confused my shark forgotten in the sand, as I stand up brushing the sand off my blue shorts, taking my hoodie down letting my long wavy hair flow in the wind.

“They switched the shampoo bottles on me before my shower and I came out a laughing stock, especially at the museum.” He glares, I bet he wish he had a hoodie himself right now under his leather jacket like me. Sure, it’s a bit hot but the breeze and wanting to hide form the world really helps the sweat.

“Can you help us dye it back?” Fangs pleas, as I shrug in response.

“Yeah why not just got to find a store to find some dye around here.” I mention as I run my fingers through my own pink hair.

“Hey Sweet Pea, last one in is a rotten egg!” Fangs suddenly bursts with energy as he starts heading for the water. Sweet Pea suddenly forgetting his anger and pink hair runs in after him as I giggle a bit and go to sit back down grabbing my shark. As I go to move my shark in the sand I hear a scream for help as I look up quickly recognizing that’s Fangs’ voice. I stand back up but frozen in fear as I see a wave take Fangs down being dragged by his leather jacket he dumbly forgot to take off before he jumped in the water. Sweet Pea tries to help as I see his pink head bop up and down. But the current is to strong as it drags Fangs farther out. I quickly look around for like a life guard or something but knowing there isn’t one. I can’t swim I’m useless as my anxiety sky rockets, even more knowing I’m useless and another person I love is going to leave me.

       During my freak out, I hear Sweet Pea scream himself as I see Fangs being dragged out of the water by Sweet Pea. I run to their sides quickly as Sweets opens his jacket and starts pushing on his chest. I get on my knees and go to give Fangs CPR. I give a few breaths as Fangs jerks up and starts hurling up water like I had a couple days ago myself. I cringe a bit knowing his chest and throat must sting with all the hurling as I pat him on the back as he goes to sit up.

“Woah there tiger I just went through this a couple days ago you might not want to move to fast.” I help him up as Sweet Pea gets up himself grabbing his jacket he had thrown off.

“D-did you guys see that?!” Fangs explodes.

“Uhm yeah dude we obviously did see you almost drown we were kinda there.” Sweet Pea retorts a bit angry for Fangs’ antics.

“No! Not that! The Red hair or something the one that had helped me over to you Sweets!” Fangs pleas pointing to the ocean as Sweet Pea looks out and around.

“I think that’s your life flashing dude, come on lets head to the hotel so we can get started on my damn hair.” Sweet Pea glides Fangs towards the exit,

“Tiny! You coming?” Sweet Pea turns to me.

“Yeah I’ll meet up with you guys in a sec.” I retort back looking in the ocean as Sweet Pea rolls his eyes at my own antics as they head farther away. I turn away from the ocean when I know the boys are gone as I speak,

“So, you really are stalking me? Saving my friends life, I guess I should thank you.” I smile a bit when I hear water hit the sand.

“Guess your boy didn’t know the rule you shouldn’t wear clothes in the ocean, especially big heavy jackets.” I turn to see a pale soaking red head threading the water out of her hair in all white clothes, with a black bra underneath. She doing this to me on purpose? We both felt something in my room last night it couldn’t have been just me.

“What can I say snakes can’t swim as you can see.” I retort back smirking a bit to see her reaction at the mention of my gang waiting for her to cower in fear like the rest of them. But to my surprise I just get a shrug.

“And yet usually snakes are smart enough to stay away from it.” As she comes to walk over to me, with a blank expression.

“What can I say were hard headed.” I shrug kind of awkward as she didn’t cower in fear like I had thought. Maybe that wasn’t a bad thing.

“I think they’re pretty skittish animals myself so kind of funny to have a gang have them as their mascot of sort.” She smiles softly reaching to hold the ends of my jacket, I shiver.

“They’re unpredictable they can strike at any time.” I recover as I retort back, why does she make me feel this way. Something in my stomach is moving, maybe my breakfast digesting. I look up from her hands to her eyes and she’s smiling softly which is way better than the blank expression I usually get from her.

“Never been bitten by one, does it hurt?” She looks up into my eyes and asks. She looks so pure so innocent, but not childlike. She’s so beautiful, why does she have to be so close. Before I could even think about inching towards her beautiful face I hear Sweet Pea even more angry now as he yells my name in the distance. For a second, I feel Cheryl recoil in fear from the loud noise of Sweet Pea yelling and instead of the happy glint I just see fear. Is it because of us? Was I wrong maybe she really is afraid of us. I’m so foolish I finally thought I found someone. I shake my head and scoff as Cheryl recovers as she watches me turn around and start walking towards Sweet Pea trying to keep my tears at bay.

“The nearest shop is to your left about two blocks away.” The red beauty whispers as I keep walking off the beach and away from her.

“What the hell took you so long?! And who the hell was that girl you were talking to you let her get awfully close to you I’d say.” Sweet Pea crosses his arms

“Calm down pinky she was just telling me where the near by store is it was nothing let’s go.” I mumble as I try to hide the looming disappointment in my voice and face.

* * *

 

“Damn it Sweets hold still this dye will get everywhere but your hair!” I yell as Sweet Pea doges the bleach and tries to cower on the floor.

“It fucking stings Topaz.” He groans as I roll my eyes.

“Stop being a baby I do this to my hair all the time and if you want your hair color back you need to sit still and let me finish.” I clench my teeth as I start losing patience.

“Fucking Bull Dogs will pay.” Sweet Pea groans as he holds himself back trying to move again.

“A Serpent never cowards in fear.” I salute.

“Or stands alone,” Fangs walks in the room with a bag full of stuff.

“You get it?!” Sweet Pea shouts excitingly.

“Get what?” I ask looking at the bag that seems to be moving a bit.

“These water snakes,” as Fangs lifts up a snake out of the bag as it squirms in his hand trying to escape, kind of like how I feel about this place.

“No way! When are we getting them back?” I ask excitingly to get revenge on the North Side. 

“Woah Topaz you’re not helping us out no way.” Sweet Pea turns his head to look at me.

My face scowls in anger as I want to cross my arms but got bleach all over them, “What?! Why the hell not?! A Serpent never stands alone.” I yell angry.

“This isn’t Serpent business.” Fangs squeaks out in fear of my wrath.

“And you’re already on thin ice with the teachers you want to get sent back? You saved up all year for this trip.” Sweet Pea grunts.

“I don’t need you two to protect me I can handle myself!” I grit out as I clench my teeth, I feel like a little kid throwing a tantrum but I’m so sick of people telling me what to do.

“It’s finale you’re not helping.” Sweet Pea shouts as he stands up.

“Fine,” I shake my head in defeat, “Finish your own hair then.” I walk past him and Fangs and out the door.

* * *

 

    I walk down the beach still seething in anger and a bit of pain feelings my hands burn as the bleach dries onto them. I forgot to wash my hands before I left. I realize in my anger I’m walking towards the rocks as if I was drawn to them for some reason as I start to get closer I see someone over there. My heart races a little for when I get closer I realize it’s not just any girl it’s the girl. I could tell even if she is leaning over with her head underwater. I’m still a but hurt from earlier and her fear as I go to turn and walk away I hear a gasp of breath as I hear her come up.

“Toni!” she shouts in glee as she goes to rub her eyes from the water and I scrunch my eyebrows, wasn’t she scared of me earlier why is she so damn happy?

“Hey Sharon.” I say a bit coldly as I go to turn to walk away again, feels like roles reversed from when we first met.

“Hey wait I got something to give you!” She exasperates out of breath a bit from the water or excitement I don’t know. I walk back a bit closer as I see her take something from behind her back and I see my shark from earlier I must have forgot in all the excitement earlier with Fangs and all.

      I climb up on the rock to grab my shark as I sit down next to her so I don’t slip again as I still have a fear of that.

“You seem mad,” she says as I look down at my shark.

“Are you scared of me?” I flat out ask, hm guess it bothered me more than I thought but to my surprise she laughs.

“Of course, not silly were friends.” She smiles and grabs my hand. She’s pretty bold today isn’t she as I turn red a bit.

“You cowered away from me earlier.” I glare at her a bit wondering why the hell she’s lying to me. I notice her face falls as she looks down at the rock and she takes her hand back.

“Oh I don’t like yelling, your friend earlier sounded angry and I got scared, I don’t like angry.” I instantly feel guilty as she sounds so small right now as she talks about Sweet Pea shouting earlier. “Mostly why I stay by the rocks, rarely anyone comes over here it’s a bit dangerous cause the rocks are pulled towards the cliffs and no one yells over here, unless of course they’re in trouble.” She explains. For some reason I grab her hand again and speak,

“I’m sorry he scared you earlier he gets a bit impatient sometimes and doesn’t like to be kept waiting especially with his hair pink.” We both giggle as she looks up at me and smiles. We look into each other’s eyes and I swear were both leaning forward but I shake my head out of that thought and look towards the water.

“Why were you sticking your head underwater before I got here?” If I didn’t know any better, I thought disappointment swept across her face but then she instantly smiles and looks down.

“Here I’ll show you.” She points to the little pond made by all the rocks crushed together where it’s not connected to the ocean. Wait she wants me to dunk my head?

“Sharon, I don’t think that’s such a good idea I’ve only had one swim lesson.” I joke as I whisper kind of scared.

“Just breathe through your nose and open your eyes trust me you won’t regret it." She squeezes my hand gently and goes underwater.

     I debate not going down with her but for some reason I do as I plunger into the dark. I remember her telling me to breathe through my nose as the water tickles as it leaves my nostrils, but my eyes remain shut still scared. It wasn’t until I felt something touch my nose lightly I open them slowly and my heart stops.

     This was nothing like the aquarium there’s tons of fish as I open my eyes fully and also see crabs walking on the bottom sand of this mini pond that barley fit both of our heads. There's tons of fish swimming quickly almost happily as if they have a life, someone to come home to. As I pull my head back up. Cheryl comes back up moments later and smiles at my face as I’m left in wonder.

“The Tide brings them in from time to time it’s nice to look at them, better than any aquarium.” She gleams over at me.

“Those fish look so happy.” I whisper.

“It’s because their free, you can’t heal in the same environment that broke you.” She whispers as we both look out at the ocean.

_Free._

_Oh I hope someday i'll make it out of here, even if it takes all night or a hundred years._


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is really Toni based, not much Choni in this one.

**Day 3**    

I wake up abruptly to loud screams, now living in the South Side I jump up quick and grab my knife off the night stand in my underwear and bra ready for an attack. After a good couple seconds, I come to realize I’m still in my hotel room in my undergarments with a knife. I groan a bit for getting up so abruptly as my bruised ribs throb against my skin and it makes me want to puke as I lean down back onto the bed. I still hear screams from the hall and I look over at the clock to see it’s about 5am. Great, of course I’d get waken up before my alarm. I groan and pick up some shorts and a T-shirt and go outside the door.

     All the Bull Dogs are running down the hall shaking their clothes as I look to my left and see Fangs and Sweet Pea laughing their heads off. I roll my eyes a bit annoyed they wouldn’t let me help with their prank, and the fact they woke me up at 5am.

“You fucking snakes will pay for this!” Reggie grits his teeth over at Sweet Pea and Fangs. As the boys hiss back and jump at them causing Reggie to jump back a little.

“Ugh of course those things would be the reason we woke up so early.” Betty groans and rubs her eyes, as Veronica rubs her back smoothly.

“Why you and the black witch have a long night in your room?” I bite back, as Veronica turns red and takes her hand back as Betty glares my way. Before Betty could get a word past her chapped lips a booming voice echoes the hallway,

“What is going on out here?!” The teacher comes through the crowd of kids who have also came out to see what the screaming is about.

“These fucking snakes are what happened,” as Reggie squeals a bit from one on the floor coming towards him, “They were put here by the King of snakes!” Reggie points at Sweet Pea and Fangs as they stop laughing and cross their arms.

“Wouldn’t have happened if you wouldn’t have dyed my hair pink.” Sweet Pea points to his now dirty blonde hair, guess he didn’t leave the dye in long enough yesterday after our spat.

“Reggie watch your language I expect better from you, and as for you two,” as she points towards the boys, “and this feud going on I’m about sick of it.” As she puts up her hands up in anger as she closes her eyes. “You guys leave me no choice but to combine your rooms together to help get along.”

    And as soon as those words left her mouth everyone groaned in annoyance and defiance. “And due to the short of rooms because of it, Betty and Veronica you’re now rooming with Antoinette.” And my breathe leaves my body, **_no_**.

“Ew there’s no way we’re shaking up with a snake, what if she bites.” Betty says in disgust.

“It’s not if it’s when.” Veronica glares my way.

“You should know all about that wouldn’t you.” I glare directly at Veronica while I say it, and she turns red and looks away.

“Enough! I expect more from you two and frankly y'all don’t have a choice. Now move your stuff in since you girls are up get ready for activity for the day.” The teacher spits out and walks back to her room.

“And clean up these damn snakes, Green Bean and Cujo” She yells down the hall.

“It’s Sweet Pea and Fangs.” They grumble as they walk over to clean them up.

* * *

 

      Long Beach Museum of Art our next activity, maybe might be my favorite one so far. As we walk in they stamp our hands one by one. Since being woken up so early I just decided to throw on some white shorts and a random blue tang top I brought with my authentic flannel wrapped around my waist, with my hair up. As they go to stamp my hand I hear Betty talk to one of the employees,

“I’d be careful with that one she’s got sticky hands that she can’t help but to use.” I roll my eyes annoyed that I got stuck in a group AND room with her. She’s so fucking brutal, doesn’t she ever get tired? I sure in hell do.

“We don’t have to stick in a group together while we’re here just meet in the lobby at 12, other than that enjoy your time and behave.” As the teacher glares over at Betty, Veronica, and me. I sigh and nod my head as I walk away, as I walk away of course hear Veronica,

“look at her slithering away back to where she came from.” Then they giggle as if it was comedy central.

      I was so angry just walking around I didn’t notice all the art I was passing by as I sit on a bench with my head down. It’s so quite here I wish I could just stay here instead of the constant banter thrown my way, or my friends. I sigh and look up and see that I’m sitting in front of a colorful cat statue made out of, well actually I’m not sure. All the colors do cheer me up a bit though.

“You like cats?” I stiff when I hear a voice behind me and see the employee who had stamped my hand sit next to me.

“No, I actually have a thing for photography I’m hoping to save up for a camera one day but it’s nearly impossible.” I muse and play with my hands nervously, waiting for him to give me a dirty look for being poor.

“You know all the famous people came from all the poor places and their art actually show it, it’s what makes it unique.” The guy states as I scrunch my eyebrows and give him a weird look.

“Really?” I ask still not believing him.

“Yeah! Roger Clay, Dread Scott, Shatta Wale, and probably more.” He smiles all happily.

“Why do you know their names?” I ask strangely. Why does he care so much about poor people?

“They’re important! Show the world there’s no such thing as just the middle class or upper class. There’s a whole world out there outside of money.” He exaggerates his hands in the air.

“Yeah? And what about gangs?” As I glance down to my Serpents tattoo showing through my tang top on my rib cage. He seemed to know what I was asking as he goes to answer,

“Honey do you know where you are? Long Beach, California. This place, this state is where Gangs come to be born, and grow, and die. Plus being in a gang is a choice but sometimes how you get there isn’t a choice, so it seems like that’s your only option at that point.” He solemnly says as he looks at the wall. And I nod my head agreeing.

“Come on I’ll show you the place you should see and explore.” He stands and stretches out his hand. As I grab it to help me up as I automatically let go, and he takes me around the corner and down a couple halls. We round this one corner and lead into a dark room.

“You’re not gonna kill me are you? I don’t know if you heard back there but I’m in a gang.” As I cross my arms a bit worried.

"Of course, I don’t feel like murder today anyway.” He cheekily says as we enter the dark room. And I stop in the door way. The room is painted black with splashed red paint. With black and white photos shown under a bright white light.

“This is real and raw, and I think an artist in the making like you should see it.” He smiles and leaves the room.

     I look around and can’t help to put my hand on the wall over the red splattered paint and I shiver. This. This could be me one day. I glide my hand over the wall over to the first picture. I see a young black girl smiling, yet she’s in a dirty dress and her hair isn’t really made up. Yet she’s still smiling like she’s the luckiest girl in the world and my eyes tear up a little. She’s happy now yet when she gets older is that smile going to stay? I take my hand off the wall and move on to the next picture and it’s an older black man sitting on the steps with his head in his hands. He’s covered in scratches and his hands are rough and look old. His white tang top is all dirty and somewhat torn. He looks broken, in a world that looks down on us and makes it harder on us every day I don’t blame him for how he feels. I look over from the picture and see that this picture itself is worth over a Grands worth and I scoff. What white rich person would want a sad black man photo on their home? For laughs maybe, people like us definitely couldn’t afford it and ironically, we’d want it. Or maybe not I don’t need a reminder of my life as I keep walking around the room looking at all the photography.

    After the passing hours we’re walking out of the museum as the guy from earlier lightly touches my elbow and I glance over at him,

“Every time one of those pictures are sold the photography model gets 60% of the money the artist gets for it.” He lightly smiles as I walk out the doors.

    I slightly scoff for calling us poor people models but he was kind, there’s more outside of Riverdale, as I look ahead of me and see Betty and Veronica laugh with each other, there’s more than just the South Side and North Side hatred and I want to be a part of that world on the outside.

              _There’s just so many things_

_That I can’t touch_

* * *

 

          As the rest of the group head left back to the hotel I decided to take a right towards the town to take a walk, As I was heading down the street I see the coffee shop I went to on my first day here and I smile softly from the memories.

          Since I didn’t get anything besides the pet shark I had named Betty Bertha I decided I can afford another coffee as I head across the street to the shop. As I enter in the shop I honestly kind of expect the pretty girl from the first day to be there and as I walk in and lay my eyes on her I smile a bit. Hey what can I say not that many pretty girls in Riverdale.

“Hey girl how are you?” The beautiful brunette says smiling at me which makes me smile back.

“I’m good, how about one of those fancy coffees you Cali people drink?” As she giggles at my joke.

“And what about your girlfriend?” As my eyebrows scrunch in confusion,

“I’m sorry?” As she’s writing my name on my cup, guess she remembered that’s impressive.

“The red head you spent hours with here a few days ago, I’ve seen how you two look at each other honestly it’s goals.” I nod once I realize she’s talking about Sharon.

“Oh well we’re not together but she is something.” As I move out of line over to the side awkwardly waiting for my expensive ass coffee as my mind wanders to the red head again damn it. 

* * *

 

     Later that night I head back to my room. I head off the elevator down to my room as I take out my key, when the light turns green I go to open the door, but it doesn’t budge. I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion and try it again. The light turns green and push the door but it doesn’t budge. I hear the girls laughing inside.

    Those fucking bitches locked the damn door. I don’t even bother pounding the door I don’t want to cause the hotel to get a complaint and honestly, I don’t feel like being with them anyway. I stalk down the hallway pissed as hell on wheels and push the elevator button hard repeatedly. What are those bitches problems? It’s not like I wanted to share a room with them. In fact, I should blame the boys they’re the ones who caused this, I groan as the elevator dings open and thankfully the elevator was empty as I go in and push for the ground floor. Of course, I’m back sitting on the beach as I wrap around my flannel tight around my body, can’t believe a place so hot during the day turns freezing during the night so much for staying warm out here for the night as I shiver. Suddenly i feel a warm presence sit next to me.

“You must love the beach as much as me.” I hear her speak. I close my eyes and scoff as I shiver again holding my flannel tight around my tiny body.

“Or I’m just locked out of my room cause I now share it with two of the biggest bitches of my life. And that’s including my uncle and he beats me.” I feel a stray tear leave my eyes as a quickly wipe it away.

“Toni,” but I shake my head,

“Don’t please. I don’t need pity I really don’t I get that enough and that’s what I like about you, ya know?” I see out of the corner of my eyes her eyebrows scrunch in confusion, but I keep going I’m on a roll,

“I made peace that I live on the South Side. I made peace with my parents are gone killed a long time ago protecting people I feel who didn’t even deserve it in the first place. I was left with my Uncle due to some Serpent law I didn’t even understand at the time. What I also didn’t understand was how a grown man could hate a kid so much and do awful things to a little girl.” I hold back a sob but it starts to come out. “I was just a little girl I don’t know what I did or what I’ve done to deserve so much hate from this world and all this world does is take and take and I get nothing back.” As I laugh bitterly,

“that’s not true I get things; beatings, laughed at, stared at, yelled at, snickered at, and of course locked out of my room on my damn vacation.” I don’t hold back anymore I start sobbing hard as I feel my body rack with my sobs and I shiver even more. I feel two warm arms wrap around my body tightly and this time I don’t fight being touched for once. In fact, I lean into the embrace and all I feel is warmth as I keep crying into her. My life has finally caught up to me, I hurt so bad and I’m so angry because I’m so broken. I lay down more into her body feeling her warmth as her arms stay wrapped around my body. I’m no longer cold in fact I feel something else, I think in my stomach not sure what it is. But I feel my eyes slowly close as I sniffle one last time.

_You’re a little late_

_I’m already torn_

* * *

**Day 4**

     I slowly open my eyes and realize I’m in a bed, why does being in a bed feel weird? I go to close my eyes again but suddenly I feel cold water splash on me as I gasp in horror as I jump up out of bed and scatter away from my bed. I look up and glare as I see Betty holding an empty glass in her hand that I’m guessing was filled with water not long ago.

“Look snake I don’t know how you slithered back into our room but the teacher said we have a free day today.” I wipe water off my face.

“Then why the fuck did you wake me up?” As I see her smirk and walk away. I groan and sit on the edge of the bed the one part that isn’t wet. I wipe my nose and look around and scrunch my eyebrows, how did I get back in my room? Last, I remember I was on the beach holding onto Sharon for dear life crying. Great how embarrassing crying into a stranger no wonder she brought me back to her room I would too. Though I’m still confused on how she did it. I get up and stretch and grab and put my hair back up into a messy ponytail. I undo my bed of all my sheets and blankets and bundle it up in a ball and leave the room to take it downstairs.

     I reach the ground floor and up to the front desk with a man behind the desk as he sees me and smiles as I give him a weird look back.

“Uhm hello” he shakes his head and laugh,

“Oh! Of course, you don’t recognize me,” the man laughs again,

“you were asleep in your girl’s arms when she brought you in telling me you guys had accidentally locked your door so the key wasn’t working. So of course, we had a maid open the door for you two. Ah young love she held you so dearly making sure we didn’t talk to loud, so you stayed asleep.” Or she didn't want me to know she was trying to get rid of me. He gushes but I’m just more confused than before but I put on a fake smile and play the part as I go to speak,

“Of course she is really a dear, speaking of our room I was wondering if i could get these cleaned and brought up a new pair?” He smiles and nods his head happily,

“Oh of course! Anything for my favorite couple.” He walks away before I could say anything else, but then again what was the point as I turn and walk back up to my room to get ready for the day since I’m up.


	8. I'm With You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I know this took awhile but to be fair this is a longer chapter and looked it over to edit 1,000 times. Also since the last one was all Toni based and like no Choni, this is all Choni based for you!

Day 5

     After getting ready for the day with my normal shorts and flannel and jacket and of course my necklace, and waiting for the maid to bring back my now clean sheets I decided to head out for the day. As I go to open the door to leave I feel something it my back softly and drop to the floor, so I turn to see a hoodie laying there.

“I’d take that with you if I were you may never know if we'll lock you out again or not snake.” Betty laughs and walks into the bathroom. Veronica just stands there awkwardly playing with her hands looking at the floor and I turn livid I finally snap after all these years,

“You know I never thought Veronica Lodge the big bad mob bosses daughter was such a jellyfish and would let her fucking girlfriend be a bitch to someone that you actually like or used to anyway.” Veronica lifts her head and goes to speak but I quickly cut her off still livid,

“Or maybe you never liked me because I would never in a million years treat my exes like you treat me, you may not be the one usually hurling these words but staying silent is worse, bitch.” I pick up the jacket off the ground and throw it at her,

“I won’t be needing this I still have one thing you don’t, pride.” As I walk out and slam the door.

 

_I'm standing on a bridge I'm waitin' in the dark_

_I thought that you'd be here by now_

_There's nothing but the rain No footsteps on the ground_

_I'm listening but there's no sound_

 

* * *

    I thought about seeing if the boys were free, but I was still a bit mad at them for their prank and what it cost me, Betty fucking Cooper. Plus I just felt like being alone it's nicer that way. I walk out of the hotel putting my hand over my eyes trying to block out the harsh sun, it’s nothing like this in Riverdale usually just cloudy. When I look around I notice a red head by the steps sitting by two coffees facing the street, surprised and some what curious I walk over to her and clear my throat as the surprised red head turns around quickly,

“Oh hello!” she quickly stands up and grabs one coffee off the cement block she was sitting on and hands it over to me, but I just give her a weary look and cross my arms defensively,

“What are you doing here?” I don’t want her pity after last night.

“You must be tired after well last night and I hope you don’t mind I brought you back to your room but you were freezing and I couldn't stay cause of your new roommates and that weird rule about strangers, so I decided to buy you a coffee and I kinda wanted to see you.” I squint my eyes a bit more and look into her eyes and read her body language. She may be nervous, but I don’t see any pity anywhere. I cautiously took the coffee from her hands as she gleams over to me and picks up her coffee to drink.

“Where’s your group you’re usually with?” She furrows her eyebrows as I check out her outfit considering she’s dressed differently than how she usually is. A tight white shirt with a V-neck showing off her boobs that cup nicely with short black shorts, and her hair is tied back into a ponytail showing off her beautiful face.

“I got a free day today so I just decided to leave my personal hell of a room and come explore since were only here for four more days.” I see her face fall slightly, I almost wanted to call myself crazy by how fast her face changed as if it didn’t happen to begin with but I’m watching her carefully.

“Well since your free want to spend the day with me? I feel you haven’t really had fun since you’ve been here.” She offers gently almost quietly I look down at my coffee swishing it around thinking how I should answer.

 “You’re not going to put me back in the water, are you?” I look up at her nervously playing with my coffee as I watch her throw back her head and laugh really loud and so hard she snorts a little, so her face turns red. I feel my stomach move again as I watch her laugh, Hm must be the coffee settling in my stomach since I haven’t had breakfast.

“No, I think we’ve had enough of the beach so far don’t you think?” I get defensive and tense when she says that, is she talking about last night?

“Come on I’ll take you somewhere new today, has nothing to do with water.” I see her stretch out her hand and coffee in the other.

“Well I don’t have anything better to do I guess,” as I grab her hand and I feel my stomach move again, I really need some breakfast.

“That’s the spirit.” She giggles and leads me away.

* * *

 

    After what felt like miles of walking, man Riverdale isn’t this big she finally pulls me aside to a fence and looks into it.

“Stay right here I’ll be right back.” Excuse me, what? I grab her arm lightly as she walks away, and I feel her tense up immediately so I let go, oops.

“What do you mean right back? Where are you going?” I freak out a bit, did she bring me out here to hurt me? To be fair I don’t really know her. Damn it why did she have to be so pretty.

“Hey, it’s okay It’ll be two seconds I promise.” She lightly squeezes my shoulders and quickly rounds the corner and I try to calm down an oncoming panic attack. Probably not helpful I decided to wear my leather jacket in this heat, keep forgetting it's so warm here. I’m being stupid maybe she doesn’t want to kill me or have me killed or kidnapped. Before I could think anymore of the possibilities she comes back around with two purples wristbands in her hand and she’s smiling like a little kid in a candy store.

“Here let me help you put this on and you can help me with mine.” She grabs my wrist very slightly to where I only tense a bit as she wraps the wristband around my wrist to make it stick. She smiles up at me and hands me hers. I do the same thing to her remembering to be careful on how I grab her so she doesn’t tense, as I finish wrapping it around.

“Perfect!” she grabs my hand excitingly as I furrow my eyebrows in suspicion as we round the corner to the beginning of an open gate and my mouth slightly opens as we stand in front of a mini fair.

“A fair?” I ask a little dumbfounded and surprised as I look down at my wristband I’m guessing to get in the fair.

“Yes I was thinking you’d like it,” she pauses and I watch her face fall a bit from the excitement she had on before and I feel my heart drop a little bit as well,

“Do you not like it? We can do something else of co- “I put my hand up to stop her self-doubt as I go to make a confession,

“I’ve never been to one just from what I’ve seen on TV and brochures.” I say as I watch her face turn to sad to surprised in one gist.

“You’ve never been to one?!” she stutters out after a moment of shock and despair, as I go to scoff,

“Riverdale has about a thousand people if that and barley got put on a map why on earth would a fair even be brought up to a dump like Riverdale?” I roll my eyes at my statement.

“Well do you want to- “I interrupt her again shaking my head,

“Yes, let’s go do the cliché rides, games, and those overpriced corn dogs everyone seems so fond of.” I grab her hand again and drag her in as I watch her smile out of the corner of my eye.

“Actually, funnel cake is where it’s at in these places.” She smirks behind me.

“Funnel cake?” I ask confused, what’s so great about cake?

“Fried bread basically it’s not like actual cake if that’s what you’re thinking of.” She pulls my hand towards the rides that honestly to me look like death traps, good lord I think I rather would have gone back to the water.

“Toni” Sharon whines as I cross my arms and stop us from walking into line,

“You want me to get in a moving cage that spins where my face is literally an inch from the ground.” I huff in annoyance, she is trying to murder me.

“You’re separated by cage bars from the ground, don’t be a baby.” She smirks after calling me names and crosses her arms, that stubborn bitch.

“I’m not going.” I stick to my place rubbing my combat boots into the ground like a bull showing her my dominance. I expect her to whine more but suddenly her eye catches on something next to me and her face lights up as she walks towards what caught her attention. I look over to me and see a single handsome guy I should say walking over to the ride she wants to go on as I watch her walk up to him and do a flirty I should say hair flip.

“Hi handsome you here by yourself?” Sharon asks the random dude as she put her fucking hand on his upper arm, bold move. The now nervous boy puts his hand on his neck to rub back and forth as he goes to speak,

“Well all my friends chickened out for this ride but I’m really excited for it.” I glare holes their way and look behind him a group of guys cheering their boy on for a beautiful girl talking to him.

“Well I’m here by myself as well but you need partners to ride the cage, care to join?” I feel my stomach start to boil, maybe cause of the hot sun I’m not sure, but I’m red. I watch in anger as they both strut over to the line as he goes to put his hand on her lower back. I expect her to recoil but instead she leans into his touch and goes to hang off his arm as if they were a couple. I watch as other people get off the ride, mostly couples and kiss afterwards or the girls cling to their boyfriends out of fear, she better fucking not. I watch her flip her head my way a few times to see what I was doing, to see if she was winning. After moving up in line getting closer to the entrance I see the dude put his hand over her shoulder, nope that’s it. I angrily walk my way over and grab the back of his collar and throw him back.

“Your done dude you need to leave.” I cross my arms to solidify my statement, something Sweet Pea taught me to do at a young age.

“I don’t think the lady wants me to,” he nervously stutters out as he looks me up and down the leather jacket probably works in hand, I glare him down even harder.

“Sorry, I think you better go she’s got a temper.” Sharon coos out soothing the boys fear, oh sure not afraid of a moving cage but scared of a 5’5 petite girl. He mutters angrily probably because he didn’t get the girl as I watch him walk over to his friends that pat his back cheering him up. I turn around and huff while crossing my arms as I watch Sharon smirk.

“shut up.” I mutter angrily as we walk up to the guy smiling while scanning our wristbands as I hear her whisper into my ear, 

"I'm more into girls anyway," I stop stunned by her statement as she giggles and walks on to the ride.

“Welcome ladies, please step in the cage.” As we get in he immediately the guy closes the cage and I freak.

“Uhm where are the seatbelts?!” I start to panic and hold on to the bar right in front of us.

“Seatbelts? You just get this bar.” Sharon says and I get even more scared, I think that other feeling in my stomach is gone.

“I should have let you go with Steve.” I pout and close my eyes in fear trying not to cry.

“His name was Evan.” She whispers.

“Shut up.” I grumble as the ride starts to move.

* * *

 

“Toni the ride was over ten minutes ago you can let go now,” she giggles as I feel her stomach move as I grumble out a no.

“You’re not afraid of balloons popping, are you? That’s what we’ll do next.” As she leads me over to a booth as I feel her speak,

“Could we have five darts please?” She grabs my arms lightly and turns me over to the balloons with me still slightly pouting, 

“This should be easy if you can throw knives you can throw darts.” She coos as she pushes me gently up to the booth. I’m still not very happy with her basically manipulating me on to a ride. Not only that but the mistake of me opening my eyes only to see the ground right below my nose, that bitch.

    I pick up a dart and slightly give it a toss popping two balloons at once surprising the kid next to me. I smirk a little at the kids surprised look as I throw the other four quickly and pop eight more balloons easily.

“Here you go miss.” As he hands me over the biggest teddy bear on the top row and I watch the kids face fall and look down at his thrown darts that didn’t hit anything. I look over to Sharon looking at the bear and I smirk a bit.

“Here kid I won this for you, enjoy.” As I hand the bear over to the now happy kid as he runs over screaming to his mom that he got a bear. I gleam and walk over to a now pouting red head,

“I thought you were going to give him to me.” She grumbles a bit crossing her arms as I laugh at her.

“Now why I reward a girl who emotionally manipulated me to get on a ride?” I raise my eyebrow at her as she huffs in response,

“You still possibly can’t be that angry, can you?” she crosses her arms again and glares my way.

“Yup,” I pop my P for emphasis at the same time another balloon pops behind me as I smirk at watching her jump a bit as I walk away.

“I’ll buy you a funnel cake to make it up to you.” She pleads following me around the park a bit as I’m looking at the booths deciding what else to play.

“Sure, I guess.” I hum in response not really listening as I see a game where you basically test your strength, a hammer and a platform. The boys would have loved this as I rush over not noticing Sharon walked away moments ago.

“You think you can make it to the top little one?" The game warden calls out to me as I walk up to the game and I scowl,

“I got more strength in one arm than you got in your whole body buddy,” I grumble out as he hands me the hammer and steps back.

    As I go to hit the platform I think of everything in my head, my Uncle, the boys, Sharon flirting with other men, wait Sharon flirting why do I care? I let down the hammer as the light quickly travels and hit the top as the bell rings. The guy’s mouth drops open,

“You seem to have a lot more strength than I thought.” The guy lets out as he hands me over a pass of some sort before I could look at it I hear a voice behind me,

“Or anger.” I look behind me and see Sharon walking up to us with some weird thing in her hand.

“I thought you went to go buy me a funnel cake?” I question putting the pass in my back pocket walking away from the game as I hear a guy insult someone else.

“This is funnel cake,” she furrows her eyebrows and sighs at me. Okay maybe I’m not mad anymore but I’m still being difficult I know.

“Sure don’t look like cake.” I muse as I see her roll her eyes and grab the fork to scoop some up.

“Here,” before I could say or do anything I feel her shove the fork in my mouth as I gasp in surprise and chew the fried bread.

“Sure don’t taste like cake either,” she sarcastically says as I glare her way.

“How much was it I’ll pay half.” I say as I go to reach into my pocket for the little cash I have.

“I flirted with the dude and got it for free,” I look up quickly and glare at her,

“Very funny, fine don’t tell me.” I stuff the money back into my pocket as we go find a table to finish our funnel cake at. As were walking around the park for a good five minutes to find an open table I hear Sharon speak, 

“Hey Toni?” I hear her mumble sadly as I look over at her, she’s got her head down and her lip out in a pout. I quickly furrow my eyebrows, did I hurt her feelings? Did my attitude go to far? I go to gently touch her elbow,

“Hey what’s wrong?” She looks up pout still in place then as I lean in closer, I see her face quickly change to a smirk. Before I could step back I feel something wet on my nose as I gasp in horror and look at her to realize she put whipped cream on my nose. She starts laughing up a storm as I go to reach for the funnel cake.

“Oh, it’s on now.” She starts to run towards the tables laughing up a storm as I try to reach the funnel cake. Pretty soon after chasing her around a bit I started to giggle as well, then I really started to laugh. I stopped out of breath from laughing so hard I grabbed the table to help lean over laughing. This is so dumb I’m chasing after a girl with whipped cream on my nose, I feel free for some reason.

   Suddenly I feel a shadow lean over me, so I go to stand back up straight and see Sharon stand in front of me smiling as well, red from all the laughter. Suddenly were staring at each other as I watch her giggle a bit more, before I could ask what she was giggling at she leans in and kisses my nose. I suddenly tense and freeze, and my face is probably as red as a tomato matching this girls’ hair. There's my stomach again, probably that fake cake she shoved into my mouth. 

“You had whipped cream on your nose,” she blushes just as hard as I probably am as she licks her lips getting the whipped cream off, I lean towards her and grab the fork to eat the funnel cake to create a less awkward aura.

“This definitely doesn’t taste like cake.” I muse solemnly as she giggles at my disappointment.

* * *

 

   It starts to get dark outside as the sun starts to set over the horizon, before we leave I know there’s one ride we haven’t done yet. I look around the park knowing the way to the ride has to be around somewhere,

“You know,” I muse as I squeeze her hand to get her attention as she looks over at me her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and anticipation. It started to get colder outside earlier so despite my somewhat dislike I gave her my leather jacket to wear as I cling my flannel closer to my body with my other hand.

“If were going to do this whole cliché fair thing right, there’s one thing we haven’t done yet.”

“Oh? What’s that?” she muses. I reach my arm over to the biggest ride of them all and flail my arm over to it. If I didn’t know any better I could have swore her face turned more pale than it was before.

“We really don’t have to,” she says as I feel her quiver a bit which I thought was from the cold until I feel her hand tense up in mine.

“Wait are you scared?” I ask scoffing. When I don’t hear answer, I start to laugh kind of bitterly.

“Wait let me get this straight, you’re not afraid of being in a cage with NO seatbelts and being an inch from the ground, but you’re afraid of a fucking Ferris wheel?” I look over at her as she shakes her head a bit,

“Those rides go fast this one goes slow, so you have time to see how far off you are on the ground.” She tries to defend herself, key word tries.

“Well maybe I should look around and flirt with a boy and ask if he wants to ride with me.” I muse still kind of angry about earlier, the nerve of her.

“I said I was sorry like ten times.” She pouts over to me.

“I even bought you funnel cake.” I shake my head,

“I’ll totally forgive you and never bring it up again if you ride this with me.” She furrows her eyebrows and shakes her head,

“Now who’s the one emotionally manipulating the other.” She states in a huff,

“Doesn’t feel good does it?” I smirk.

* * *

 

“These don’t have seatbelts just a bar.” Sharon states solemnly as we get on.

“Now you know how I feel.” I state looking over at her glaring at me. 

“Hands up ladies.” The guy states as he put the bar down and walks back over to his station.

“Toni I-“before she could finish her sentence the ride starts to move. Suddenly I feel two arms wrap around my torso very strongly and I freeze in a panic but also hiss in pain. My bruises are killing me.

“I-I’m so sorry I didn’t mean.” Before she could unwrap her arms from around me I grab her arms and bring them around me but less tight.

“It’s okay you just scared me is all, I’m not used to being touched n any other ways but punches and kicks.” I state as I watch her face fall a bit but go back to being scared.

“I hope today was better than your previous state here.” She says after a few minutes of silence. I hum in response,

“It is and thankfully cheap too, I don’t have really much money.” I confess waiting for a reaction from her but all I get is a response I didn’t expect,

“Me neither, I had you wait by the fence around the corner so I could snatch these bracelets off their booth in the front through the fence.” Well I didn’t expect that.

“Wait, what about the funnel cake didn’t that cost money?” I ask as she shakes her head.

“I told you I flirted with the young boy with my cleavage so he would just hand me over the funnel cake."

   I don’t know why but I started to laugh and laugh hard. After a second she starts to giggle with me and pull away from me as she starts to feel more comfortable with the ride. Once we reach to the top we stop laughing as we watch as the sun makes its final set into the water. I look over to watch her and realize she was watching me as well. I don’t know why but I leaned in and kissed her on the lips, just a quick peck and lean back out looking her in the shocked warm gleaming eyes.

“You had whipped cream on your lips.” I smoothly lie and smile softly almost nervously looking down at my toes. I feel her lean back into me softly wrapping her arms back around my torso. I embrace her warmth and touch, you know that feeling in my stomach might be butterflies. 

_Isn't anyone tryin' to find me?_

_Won't somebody come take me home_

_It's a damn cold night_

_Trying to figure out this life_

_Won't you take me by the hand_

_Take me somewhere new_

_I don't know who you are_

_But I, I'm with you_

    After the carnival they had gone back to the beach with Toni expecting to be locked out of her hotel room again by the two head cheerleaders. She had fallen asleep into Sharon while Sharon keeps her wrapped up into her jacket close as possible while sitting in the sand looking at the calm ocean. She lifts Toni up from the sand and starts walking towards the hotel. Once she reaches the room she expects the door to be locked but to her surprise it opens, and she sees a piece of paper fall on to the ground. That piece of paper was stopping the door from being locked. Sharon walks in the room into the dark and puts Toni on the bed pulling back the sheets.

“So that’s what she keeps sneaking off to do.” Sharon jumps a bit and looks up to see Veronica step out from the dark.

“You’re Veronica, I’m guessing.” Sharon coldly states as Veronica nods her head. Sharon looks over to see Betty still sleeping peacefully.

“The piece of paper that stopped the door from being locked, that was you?” Sharon glares Veronica’s way. She’s heard a bit about Veronica and Betty, not much but just enough to know they cause Toni hell.

“Despite what Toni thinks I do care about her.” Veronica tries to continue but Sharon scoffs,

“Right of course you do.” The red head states as she goes to discard Toni’s jacket and put it on the bed next to Toni not missing the fact Veronica stiffs as soon as she sees _that jacket._

“Look you don’t even know me or Toni or even our history.” Veronica angrily states as Sharon interrupts her,

“How do you kno-“but Veronica interrupts the strange red head,

“Toni isn’t the most open person in the world.” The raven head pauses and angrily sighs looking at the ground playing with her hands. She looks back up as if she was about to cry and starts again,

“I didn’t have a choice we couldn’t be together my father would have never allowed it then Betty moved in and was the better option for- “the red head angrily stops her but keeps her voice low to not wake up Toni or Betty Bertha as Toni loves to call her after her pet shark that's sitting on the nightstand,

“No, you had a choice, but you picked your bed literally," as she motions over to Betty sleeping in bed, "and left a broken girl behind and continue to give her hell despite it being your decision to let her go.” Before the red head could go on the raven hair girl puts her hand up,

“I know I know,” Veronica turns and pulls something out of her purse,

“That’s why I’m also deciding to make this decision as well.” Veronica pulls out a card and hands it over to Sharon neither girl not missing the fact a tear leaves Veronica's eyes. This card means she's giving up Toni to someone else for good, even though she lost Toni a long time ago this right here just feels official. 

“Get a room for her or the both of you I don’t care what the cost,” Sharon gives her a wary look,

“I don’t want y- “but Veronica interrupts her angrily sighing those two girls have one thing in common, their stubborn,

“Look you can either give her private room back or Betty is going to keep locking her out and waking her up with cold water all over her.” Sharon gasps and looks down at Toni shocked. This poor girl she's been through so much it's no wonder she's so closed off it seems like from what little she's learned of the girl everyone in her life has hurt her. 

“Look I don’t know how she found you but thank you for taking care of her. You deserve her.” Veronica states wiping her eyes as she heads back over to her bed to go to sleep,

“Oh, and don’t forget to wake up before seven so the teacher doesn’t notice she’s missing when we all meet for group.” Veronica's voice cracked as she again then turns around to lay next to Betty. As Sharon picks Toni back up and wraps her in her jacket to go get the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, if anyone wants to follow me on Tumblr i changed it to, Hidden-in-the-cloud. (:


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not positive on how I like this chapter, but tell me what you think (:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to update as much as I can. I did spoil a part on a new fic i'm writing on my Tumblr if you want to go check it out. Should be up this weekend.

Day 6

       I woke up to the annoying alarm again as I reach over and punch on top of the alarm hard. After retracting my arm back underneath me I snuggle more into the bed and after a few seconds I come to realize two things. One, I was in a bed again and two, there was arms wrapped around me. I stiff once I realize this information and I feel the arms retract as I freak a bit, as I hear the cutest yawn on this earth, “Good morning beautiful.”

     I smile once I realize who the voice belongs to. I turn as I feel confusion take over my face. “Where are we?” I glance around and realize were back in the hotel, but this isn’t my room. I sit up a bit as I rest my elbows beneath me and bask in the fact I’m alone and don’t have to deal with people. I look over to her realizing she’s nervously playing with her hands looking down. Without thinking I grab her hands with mine, and I feel my damn stomach again.

“Hey what is it?” I ask using my right hand to lift up her chin to make sure she’s looking at me, I’m so close to her as I think about our kiss yesterday, well couple of kisses. I can so easily just lean in to her as were so close, but she’s nervous about my question and I want to know why as I feel some of my walls go up again.

“After you feel asleep last night on the beach, I went to go put you back into your room, so you didn’t freeze.” She gulps nervously and tries to take her hands back, but I stiffed them to make sure they were locked on hers as we made eye contact again. I so bad wanted to give her a soft smile or anything really to tell her it was okay, but I couldn’t I was nervous, what is she hiding? “I went to tuck you into bed, and Veronica stepped out from the shadows.” As soon as I heard Veronica’s name I felt the rest of my walls come up as I stiff at those words and take my hands back from hers and cross my arms, physically putting a wall between this conversation not particularly the girl herself.

“What happened?” I asked solemnly almost venomously if I were being honest, I really wasn’t trying to be rude to this girl who has done so much for me the past few days, but I couldn’t help it.

“She asked if I was the reason you were sneaking off, then tried to go saying she still cared about you..” She stops and wearily looks me in the eyes, asking permission of what that statement meant but I just look at her solemnly waiting for her to finish, as she breaks eye contact with me to continue.

“She gave me her card to pay for a room for you to have for yourself, or for us specifically as she said.” I scoff at her “generosity” as Sharon quickly interjects.

“I didn’t want to take what seemed like a payoff for awful behavior Toni, but…” She stops again and looks away. I narrow my eyes and grit my teeth together,

“But what Sharon?” I ask a bit angry, not at her but at Veronica for this shit she tried or did last night.

“She said if we didn’t take the room Betty was more likely to keep torturing you, like waking you up spilling water all over you again. I didn't want that to happen to you again Toni.” She gives me the look, the look I feared for such a long time from every human I’ve met so far, pity.

I quickly get up from the bed to stretch as I go over to grab my jacket Sharon so nicely put on the chair for me after last night.

“Well thanks for taking care of me last night but I need to go back to my other room and get ready for our fun activity for the day.” I say sarcastically as I grab my old room key and go to walk out the door.

“Toni wait,” I hear her croak out but I wave her off mumbling something of I’m late already after this wonderful conversation. What a way to wake up.

* * *

 

     I return to my room and close the door as I turn to see Betty finish putting their bathing suits on, the girls look over at me and Betty smirks as Veronica looks away, fucking coward. “Look what the ocean dragged in, smells like it too.” She laughs, oh yeah good one Betty.

     As soon as Betty walks to the bathroom and shuts the door I go to into my suitcase to look for an outfit. I feel Veronica come over and awkwardly clear her throat.

“Uhm our activity for the day is paddle boarding, so if you want me to talk to the teacher about getting you out of- “I shake my head and angrily scoff,

“No, I don’t need you doing me any more favors, thanks.” I pick up my bathing suit and sit on the bed waiting for Betty to get out as Veronica tries again,

“Is the room okay or- “I angrily look up at her for the first-time making eye contact with her before I speak,

“Again, I don’t need favors from you and about the whole crap about you caring about me just drop it okay?! Just leave me alone.” I shake my head and look towards the door again.

“I do care!” She softly screams to make sure Betty doesn’t hear as I laugh bitterly and look back up,

“Oh yeah? Does your girlfriend know what you’re doing or..?” Veronica quickly looks away and nervously looks towards the door, as I scoff and laugh.

“Yeah that’s what I thought.” As soon as I said that Betty opens the door and Veronica jumps away form me twenty feet as Betty confusingly looks between us. “Bathroom’s free rodent don’t mess it up.” I get up and mumble past her that a snake is not a rodent as I slam the door.

* * *

 

    I look up into the ocean as I stand more away from the crowd of screaming gleaming girls as the life guard from the first day comes into show with a few paddle boards as he looks my way and instantly gleams. “I’m glad you decided to come back and join us this time as well Toni.” I give him a little scoff and nod his way, sure he’s attractive but I think I have someone else on my mind, oddly enough. As I think of her I feel something in the pit of my stomach, guilt. I think back to this morning about our conversation and how I realized even if I didn’t mean to I pushed her away. I’m not surprised to be honest I don’t really have anyone close to me. The boys really are as close as they get, but even then they’re so far away.

    I look over to the lifeguard again and realized he was checking me out sideways smiling as the other girls enviously look over at me, oh no. Once the lesson starts the lifeguard comes over me to first strutting over,

“Want to finish what we started the other day?” he lifts his eyebrows and thrusts the paddle board in the air gesturing over back to the water. Before I could recline quickly and back a few feet away I hear, well we all hear someone come down the beach. “Stand down Baywatch.”

   We all look over, and I couldn’t lie to you, it was honestly something you see out of a movie. Standing in front of the sun strutting towards us in what seems like slow motion, is Sharon in a red piece swimsuit with black shades and her hair down glistening in the breeze as she gets between me and the dude, who wasn’t so keen on someone cock blocking him. “Who are you?” he questions as he puffs his chest out a little as I giggle at him trying to be all manly.

“Haven’t you heard of me? I’m the lifeguard for troubled kids,” as she puts a hand on my shoulder as I lean into her touch a bit.

“And from what I have heard about this girl’s incident with a surfboard obviously she needs me.” She gestures to herself as she flashes a quick fake smile and grabs a paddle board out of the boy’s hands. “I’ll be needing this, but you do have a group of girls over there who would love your help.” As she takes my hand and triumphs over to the water as I watch the boy walk over to the rest of the girls with his tail between his legs, as I giggle a bit and look towards the jealous girl in front of me as we get in the water.

    As she’s setting up the paddle board in the water I look down at her and cross my arms and smirk, “Special needs lifeguard? Is that even a thing?” I giggle a bit as I hear her pout,

“How would you know you’re not from here.” She stands back up and I can see the fire in her eyes still steaming.

“Your right I’m not from here maybe I should go ask the other “Life guard” if that’s a thing.” I playfully go to walk away as I feel her wrap her hand around my arm to stop me but not pull me thankfully, as I hear her pout.

    I turn back around to tease her but a wave hits over us and I fall into her, forcing her to wrap her arms around me as were face to face again extremely close, I feel my face go hot because of the sun, who’s to really say. I hear her clear her throat as she helps me to on to the paddle board. Once I get on I feel my body go stiff, but she wraps her arms around my torso.

“If you go stiff it’s much harder to swim and take waves on, you got to go with the flow, dear.” As I feel her take her arms back and I relax a tad bit knowing she’s by me, but then the first wave hits and my fear starts all over again. But blush under water due to the fact she called me dear. 

* * *

 

    After the activity and the jealous rage vibe coming from Betty, Veronica, and the lifeguard as we strut by to leave, we leave together giggling happy to be with each other ignoring the people behind us.

    As the sun starts to set over the ocean Sharon and I sit on the rocks by the shore, eating our hot dogs we bought from some dude on the street. After I swallow my last bite I laugh at something Sharon had said, “Did you see the look on that lifeguard? He thought he was silly to try and take you, as if he could.” I laugh, because it’s true someone else already had my attention and it sure wasn’t some six-foot dude with abs. But as I think about him my mind wanders back to Veronica and then the guilt settles.

   The conversation from this morning, I had pushed her away. I look over to here as she bites into her hot dog, looking at the ocean happily. I look back into the ocean and clear my throat. I wipe my hands off on my shorts from all the crumbs before I continue.

“When I was in eighth grade I hadn’t become a serpent yet, I was just a kid but a kid who was in love. Or at least I think it was love, maybe just a really big crush. Her name was Veronica Lodge.”

_When somebody loved me_

_Everything was beautiful_

_Every hour spent together Lives within my heart_

_And when she was sad I was there to dry her tears_

_And when was happy so was I_

_When she loved me_

     Before I could continue I felt a hand on my thigh I look up tears already starting to form as she gives me a sad look shaking her head. “You don’t have to Toni, I understand.” But I solemnly look down back into the dark water as I push her hand away lightly as I rub my nose. “No, you don’t,” I sigh as I start again,

_Through the summer and the fall_

_We had each other that was all_

_Just she and I together Like it was meant to be_

_And when she was lonely I was there to comfort her_

_And I knew that she loved me_

“She was from the North Side a side the South had no business being in or even engaging in, except at Sweet Water river where all the kids from both sides would come to this neutral territory to come play. We both liked each other, spent every waking moment together, kissing, talking, sharing our lives together under the stars like some star-crossed lovers.” I feel tears start to drop from my eyes as I watch the little droplets drop into the ocean.

_So the years went by_

_I stayed the same But she began to drift away_

_I was left alone Still I waited for the day_

_When she'd say I will always love you_

“We knew we shouldn’t have been together from the start, but we didn’t care because we thought our love would change the outlook of Riverdale. You know little kid shit.” I bitterly laugh, “Because what teenage love would stop the rage of Hiram Lodge? Someone had caught us one-night kissing, and once it got back to Hiram, well.” I sigh angrily and look up trying to stop the snot running from down my nose. “She didn’t care about his wrath at first she was blinded by love. But, the month before school had started I decided to join the Serpents. I was on the verge of being homeless and the gang had offered me refugee.”

    I shake my head solemnly, “That’s not how Veronica had seen it, once she saw that jacket on me she stiffed she changed.” I said in a shaking breathe trying so hard to continue, “She had told me I was never supposed to join them I was supposed to do better, but she didn’t understand my situation, I mean she tried but, how could she? She was rich she could never understand.” The first sob came breaking through.

“Then Betty Cooper had moved into town, another rich Northsider. Just happened to take interest in my girlfriend who had basically drifted from me in fear of what I had stood for. It’s not Betty’s fault I blame Veronica for being a coward. The funny thing is, Betty makes sure to keep Veronica and I apart afraid Veronica will jump back into my arms at any moment. But she never would, she's afraid. She had chosen Betty for her being the better option being the better class. Everything we had shared that summer died, just like the last maple tree that year. Like some sort of sick fucking symbol.”

    After I had finished my story all my sobs came crashing down just like the waves against the rocks.

_Lonely and forgotten_

_Never thought she'd look my way_

_And she smiled at me and held me Just like she use to do_

_Like she loved me_

_When she loved me_

     I had felt two warm arms wrap around me and pull me in as I continue to cry for a little while. “To have someone tell you that you are their whole world, to just up and leave like that, it leaves a hole in your heart that you think could never be filled.” I feel her arms tighten around me, “But you start to move on you do, they come back and try to tell you they still care, it’s wrong.” I cry harder into her, thinking back to the past before my world had crashed down. 

    She decided to carry me back, I feel her lift me up as I have my eyes closed but I’m still awake. Once she tucks me in I decided to keep my eyes closed so it doesn’t hurt when she leaves, so I don't have to watch another walk out. But after a minute I feel the bed dip beside me, as she wraps her arms around me and kisses me on the back of the neck and snuggles deeper, pulling me in. I open my eyes slowly as I whisper, “Goodnight.” She squeezes me in response as I close my eyes one last time. I go to sleep smiling, what a way to drift off. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: Suicide triggers for anyone who it might effect, tread carefully. It broke my heart to write this chapter but it needed to happen unfortunately.

Day 7

    I had awoken in my bed alone, like usual. I had turned to see that Sharon was gone and looked back at the clock to notice the time. It was almost 6am, so by now the teacher should be waking everyone up to get ready for the activity of the day. I wasn’t upset she had left me she knew the deal, we couldn’t get caught. I still feel the kiss from the night before she had left on the back of my neck and I feel my stomach again as I choose to ignore it. After getting ready I headed out of my new room and back to my old one.

   Before I could even get to my room though as I’m walking down the hall my teacher from my group catches my eye and goes to reach out to me.

“Today were doing a water activity and considering you seem to know your personal coach well you’re more than welcome to practice with her or just go off by yourself.” The teacher uncomfortably states as she goes to walk away. I smirk a little at the homotheticity of it all, but I was free for the day from those bitches, so I wasn’t going to go complain. But before she was out of ear shot I hear her also say,

“But you do need to meet us for dinner on the Warf at 6pm.” She then completely walks away as she turns the corner to wake the other girls. I had decided to walk around the beach far away from my group and also not looking for anyone in particular either. Although I guess my subconscious was as I realize I’m walking by the rocks. I subconsciously look around hoping to spot a certain redhead that always somehow seems to be around. After awhile of kicking shells and water I had seen a spot of red in the distance. She was talking to some man and I felt a pang of jealousy. I shake my head stupidly and start to walk in the girl’s direction wanting to see her. I decided to stand behind a rock wanting to surprise her as I see that man walk back to her with a bag full of something.

“Here you are Cheryl your weekly supply of livings.” Suddenly my body freezes. What did that man just call her? My mind suddenly races back to Riverdale, to that house, to that memorial. The six-year-old girl stares back at me as my mind races back to Sharon. Was I blind? My body starts to shake as I hear someone gasp as they round the corner.

“Toni!” Sharon, I mean Cheryl looks at me in surprised horror, as I feel my insides unfreeze due to anger.

“How long have you been standing there?” She asks as she looks at me scared as she backs away a little probably due to the look of shock and anger on my face.

**Betrayal.**

“Who the fuck are you?!” I angrily step forward and push the girl, not wanting to hurt her but if she were anyone else she would have my blade to her neck.

“Toni please let me explain- “But I’m too angry to even listen as I cut her off again.

“He called you Cheryl, as in Cheryl fucking Blossom am I right?” I laugh bitterly as I feel my heart shatter in two, she lied to me. I obviously need to learn my lesson on people.

“Toni please- “she tries to come near me, honestly stupid on her part as I slap her hand away from me. “I knew you looked familiar the first day I met you but Cheryl’s dead, but if she’s right here that makes you.” I harden my eyes in even more suspicion as I back away from her practically growling.

“A murderer.” my jaw locks in anger and a bit scared to be honest, unless she was a ghost, i really was going insane. 

I see the girl in front of me gasp and watch her eyes shatter at my accusation. Usually I’d care if I had hurt this girls’ feelings. But my emotions or feelings I have ever had for this girl is gone.

“I didn’t kill my- “she shakes her head as I watch tears start pooling down her face, “Please let me explain.” She goes to reach for me again, but I slapped her hand away and pushed her again as she almost trips on rocks.

“Get the fuck away from me, I don’t know who you are but go away.” I walk past her shoulder bumping her on my way out. I hear her cry behind me and a few footsteps, but they fall short after a minute. Knowing that she wasn’t following me anymore I headed back to our- I mean my room and slam the door in anger.

    I fall on to my bed face first into my pillow. Cheryl Blossom, the heir of Riverdale is alive and well. Everyone had figured if she was alive she had killed her family, but did she? And if she did would that change how I feel? That would make me a hypocrite on my own doings by what I’ve done being in a gang. I shake my head as I feel tears start to form, but she lied to me, this whole time. Who she was, where she came from, never even hearing of Riverdale knowing she was the lost heir.

That bitch.

    I start to cry into my pillow. I was shattered completely, whatever I had left in my heart was gone, I was numb. I didn’t know I had fell asleep or I must have anyway for when I had rose from face from my pillow I had realized I was late for dinner on the Warf. I hurryingly get up and leave my room knowing the punishment on what would happen if I didn’t show up for the activity, I’d have to leave.

    I run all the way to Warf and was all sweaty as I realized my group was sitting down outside a restaurant as I go up to an empty seat, you’d never have guessed next to the two bitches. I sit down and grab a menu like everyone else as the teacher walks up to the table,

“Nice of you to join us Toni.” The teacher gives me a hard look as she sits down herself.

“Maybe she got too busy with her lesson.” Betty disgustingly scoffs as I see Veronica somewhat roll her eyes at her girlfriends’ antics. I again felt the pain in my body as Cheryl was mentioned to me remembering earlier. With falling asleep and rushing down here I had almost forgot what had happened earlier. I put the menu down no longer hungry as I hear everyone discussing what they wanted to order. I had sighed and looked towards the ocean as I feel myself gasp as I see the redhead who was taking up my mind standing by the Warf rail watching me from a far.

    She had a desperate look in her eyes as if she was beckoning me over. I felt angry all over again feeling myself tense. Veronica looks over to me worried and looks to where I’m looking and sees Cheryl. Veronica glares at Cheryl but Cheryl doesn’t notice as she only looks at me. I excuse myself saying some excuse of going to the bathroom as I tell the passing waiter that water was fine. I walk over to the rail and cross my arms,

“What do you want?” I glare into the distance not wanting to look at her, look at her pleading eyes begging me. I know if I do my heart will break even more.

“To explain, please Toni you need to understand.” She pleas not coming near me after learning her lesson the first time, but obviously not hard enough. Maybe I should have grabbed my blade.

“There’s nothing to explain, and if there was I don’t trust you. Y-“ I pause not wanting to get to worked up, not wanting those tears back.

“You knew so much about me that no one else did, not even the boys.” I hear my voice quiver in the end as I curse myself from getting emotional in front of her, she doesn’t deserve it.

“And what I’m trying to tell you is a secret I’ve kept for a long time, even from myself Toni please.” But I just shake my head as I start to quickly walk away not wanting to do this anymore.

_Thought I found a way Thought I found a way, out_

_But you never go away (never go away)_

_So I guess I gotta stay now_

   I pick up the pace of my walk when I hear footsteps behind me not knowing if they belong to her or not, I just wanted to get away. I don’t know where my feet are taking me as I start to feel myself run.

_Oh, I hope some day I'll make it out of here_

_Even if it takes all night or a hundred years_

_Need a place to hide, but I can't find one near_

_Wanna feel alive, outside I can fight my fear_

   I realize my feet are taking me to the ocean in the distance, as I run across the beach I discard my shoes before me, feeling the sand underneath my feet. The sand crumples under me as I feel everything else starting to crumple. I know what my body wants to do. I no longer hear footsteps behind me but just the pumping of blood in my ears.

_Isn't it lovely, all alone?_

_Heart made of glass, my mind of stone_

_Tear me to pieces, skin and bone_

_Hello, welcome home_

   It’s freezing cold, when my legs finally smack into the ocean as I just keep running, I’m looking towards to the horizon where my feet want to go, where I want to go. I keep going and splashing deeper into the water no longer fearful of what’s to come. Everyone I have ever known has hurt me one way or another. My parents, the school, Veronica, Betty, Cheryl. I was done they’ve taken everything.

_Walkin' out of town_

_Lookin' for a better place (lookin' for a better place)_

_Something's on my mind_

_Always in my headspace_

    I can no longer feel the sand below me, as my body succumbs into the water feeling every wave that comes over my head. I was numb, numb to everything I can’t feel. I was alone like I’ve always been.

_But I know some day I'll make it out of here_

_Even if it takes all night or a hundred years_

_Need a place to hide, but I can't find one near_

_Wanna feel alive, outside I can fight my fear_

    This big wave had ended up smacking my body, submerging me fully underwater as I close my eyes waiting for death to come. But as numb as I was I did feel two arms wrap around my torso to pull me up. I open my mouth in shock, not realizing I’d swallow water doing so. Watching my life flash before my eyes underwater, watching as my necklace floats in front of my face still hanging around my neck.

_Isn't it lovely, all alone?_

_Heart made of glass, my mind of stone_

_Tear me to pieces,_

_skin and bone_

_Hello,_

**_welcome home_ **

   I wish I could tell you what happened after that, but my world was no longer seen through my eyes it was pitch black, with maybe a hint of red.

* * *

 

   I had abruptly woken up, jolting forward into the sky, eyes wide from shock as I roll my side. Here I was again puking up water for the second time in a week. After a few moments I had also come to realize I was not dead. My body felt fuzzy like my vision as I was keeping my head down after puking up water. But I have also come to realize it was dark, there was no sky. I keep still afraid that, maybe I am dead. But I felt something shift below me as I also see white. I finally decide to look up and around to realize I was in some sort of, cave? I look up above to see Red. Cheryl, suddenly everything I have ever felt came back to my body.

“Cheryl?! How did I? Where did you?” I pause feeling my heartbeat speed up starting to freak out as Cheryl’s eyes go wide as she pulls me back into her. I had realized I was laying on her lap and the white I had saw was her legs I was laying my head on.

“Toni! You’re alive!” well if I wasn’t she sure was squeezing it out of me now.

“Cheryl let go!” I gasp as I release myself from her arms and pull back.

“Where are we?” I finally manage to finish a question as Cheryl looks around and sighs.

“My home.” She flails her arms out in show, as I look around.

“Were in a cave.” I deadpan as I look back at her and she put her arms down in shame and nods her head.

“Underneath the rocks where we first met. There’s a cave that most of the time the tide hides, but when the tide is low you can enter in.” She says as I just nod my head.

“Cool I’m leaving.” But when I stand up my head feels dizzy and I almost fall, as Cheryl quickly gets up to catch me.

“You shouldn’t move so quickly after putting your body through that.” She roughly states and I scoff at the de ja vu statement from when we had first met.

“Plus, you can’t the tide is in so the entrance is blocked, unless you want to drown.” She says, and I turn to give her a look.

“Right” she sighs,

“well I don’t want you to drown.” She firmly states as we both sit back down.

“So, you kidnapped me?” I state giving her a look, but she just shrugs her shoulders.

“I also saved your life whether you wanted to live or not. You can’t die without my explanation anyway.” She says as she keeps hold on me.

“Toni let me begin to say it was never my intent to ever lie to you- “but I just shake my head in anger.

“Just give me the damn explanation, maybe that will be worth an apology.” I cross my arms waiting for the girl to explain. The same girl I had been staring at for eleven years sighed and shook her head;

“What you had said earlier about me being a murder, it’s true.” I gasp a little not wanting to believe this sweet soul actually did commit a murder or a few, but I guess we all have a dark side.

“My father as everyone who knew him was the richest man in Riverdale, due to the maple business and for awhile what I had thought a good man.” Tears started to form in Cheryl’s eyes and a little part of me wanted to comfort her, but I killed that emotion and let her continue.

“My twin brother Jason and I loved our parents and they loved us, and we knew of the maple business but not as much as we thought. This one night at five years old I remember this man would always come around wanting to speak with my father. I thought what they had talked about to be so boring, but we were kids, so we loved to listen in.” Cheryl softly smiled down at the ground wiping her tears that were falling, the ones if things hadn’t changed, I’d wipe for her.

“This one late night the man had came to visit my father. Jason and I had found it odd he came so late as we got out of bed to listen to what he had to say.” Cheryl gulps and starts to shake.

“He had told my father that according to his calculations the river was thinning so he must have been some kind of scientist or environmentalists.” Cheryl stands up and starts to pace.

“At the time Jason and I didn’t know what that meant.” I had interrupted her knowing the after effects,

“The maple trees were going to die.” Cheryl solemnly shakes her head.

“The trees were dying but that night, I believe the man I had loved and looked up to had died.” Cheryl starts to silently cry as she closes her eyes.

“He had started to drink so much and yell and throw things. And one night my mom had tried to calm him, and he hit her.” I gasp knowing the pain of that as I felt my ribs ache in the memory.

“After that Jason had vowed he would never let me father do that to either of us again, fearing my dad would hit me as well.” Cheryl shakes her head,

“One morning my father was drunk again and going off on my mom and Jason making word of his vow had stepped in.” Cheryl’s breathe shudders as she wraps her arms around herself.

“But he was so little, and my dad started beating him as well, my mother just staring in horror of what my father has become and was doing. I was so scared, and I wanted my father to stop hurting my brother.” Cheryl kneels back down on the ground, probably from the heartbreak she had kept bottled up from this story as the worst part has yet to come.

“So, I had grabbed a candle thinking that was the only weapon I knew of, fire. I threw it at my father not knowing the fire would catch fire to everything so fast.” Cheryl hiccups back a sob,

“The screams of my family I will never forget. Nor will I forget my brother had stepped up and pushed me out of the kitchen out of the house. Smoke inhalation killed him, thank God. He didn’t suffer the same burning sensation my parents had, just died protecting me first, like had vowed.” I scrunch my eyebrows,

“So you ran away after? Because no one ever found you.” But Cheryl shakes her head and I’m more confused as ever, but I let her continue.

“I waited for the cops and fire trucks, I admitted my guilt on what had happened. I was expecting them to put me in jail from what my knowledge at six years old of the justice system was. But instead the cops had secretly put me in their car and whisked me away to somewhere probably far worse than jail.” Cheryl stops as I ask,

“Where?” I question.

“The sisters of quite mercy orphanage for troubled youth.” Cheryl opens her eyes and looks at me solemnly.

“Okay, so the cops knew where you went so why does everyone including the cops think you’re missing and or dead?!” I ask angrily still not understanding.

“Well if you would let me finish.” Cheryl huffs annoyed but continued,

“The sisters had said I had done a terrible but understanding thing, but they didn’t think people would understand so they wanted to hide me from the media and town. They must have paid the cops off or something who had found me. I didn’t know for years I had been missing, at the sisters they don’t have TV or computers. They live off the grid believing the world is sin including the children they raise.” I get angry knowing damn well how the sisters work, there’s been speculation of the sisters being a cult back home, but everyone leaves it alone.

“When I was thirteen they had found a family that wanted to adopt me upstate, the sisters thought it was perfect a family outside of Riverdale, so I was adopted.” Cheryl again softly smiles. “I was so happy I had found a family someone who wanted me despite my awful past.” But then Cheryl again frowns.

“But as the years went by I had realized that I was missing and or presumed dead, when I had tried bringing it up to my family they just never wanted to talk about it and told me I was never allowed back there.” Cheryl shrugs her shoulders, “I didn’t want to be reminded of what I did so I let it go. But also, while growing up I had realized something else.” Cheryl stops but I was to deep in the story for her to stop.

“What did you realize?” I pushed as Cheryl shakes her head.

“That I was gay.” Cheryl whispers but I just scoff,

“So?” I question, “I’ve known I was gay probably younger than that.” But Cheryl just shook her head and got angry.

“I was adopted by a religious family, but I thought they’d love me anyway after all they had adopted me knowing I killed my real family!” Cheryl stands angry,

“But they didn’t they were disgusted, they sent me back to the sisters saying I was deviant and vile. That they wanted their money back because they got a sick kid!” Cheryl flails her arms all over the place at this statement.

“The sisters were so disappointed in me, that I was sicker than they had thought. At fifteen they had put me through conversation therapy! They tortured me Toni!” I hear myself gasp in horror and my own tears coming to my eyes, this girl has gone through hell.

“Thankfully due to me growing up there as a kid I knew their schedule and land. I had escaped a week later on my sixteenth birthday never looking back. I hitchhiked and walked for days not knowing where I was or going. Till I ended here and decided to stay.” Cheryl sits by me again.

“I was to afraid to tell you who I was because everyone I have ever met with them knowing who I was wanted to hurt me and didn’t really want me for me.” Cheryl starts to cry again into my arms.

I tightly hold her as I cry myself. This girl has been through hell, probably worse than I ever have. For the first time I let the girl cry into me as I hold her tightly rocking back and forth in the middle of the cave. The cave she’s been living in for the past year or so, poor girl. For awhile she had begged me not to hate her, all anger and betrayal I felt from the girl dissipated, I understood completely. I decided that night that I was going to protect this girl with my life.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well you guys have finally found out what happened to Cheryl how messed up was that? ): Poor Cheryl.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank You so much for patiently waiting and just for that I wrote this up for you guys at 2am. Enjoy (:

Day 8

     The first thing Toni had thought or merely felt when she woke up was the stiff hard ground. For a second, she had gotten scared, she usually only felt this way when another bad night with her uncle happened. Almost psychologically her ribs started to hurt as she thought about her uncle. Before she could think anymore, she had felt someone shift on top of her and this time she was very confused. She quickly opened her eyes expecting sunlight but only got darkness as she felt the dampness surround her from the precipitation on the cave walls. Suddenly she remembered all of yesterday in a wave. Sharon was not Sharon she was Cheryl, and not just any Cheryl but Cheryl fucking blossom. The name that has haunted her and her past for the last 18 fucking years, and one of them is laying right on top of her. Toni unconsciously starts to run her fingers through Cheryl’s hair, remembering the redheads own haunted past for the last seventeen years. Toni sighed thinking how both girls’ lives were a bit fucked up and yet here they were one homeless and one trying to kill herself, two girls still trying to survive.

“Hey.” Toni snaps her head up wanting to groan about the pain in her neck, she must have made a face as Cheryl sadly laughs,

“Yeah you get used to the pain after a while or your body just gets used to the hard ground after a while either way.” Cheryl just shrugs her shoulders as she goes to sit up not wanting to crush Toni more than she already was.

“The sand isn’t any softer or something?” Toni this time doesn’t stop herself from groaning as Cheryl helps her sit up and then Cheryl wraps her up in her arms not wanting to let Toni go for a number of reasons.

“To many thieves or cops going around, and if they ask what I’m doing on the beach- “

“They’ll ask to many questions and you get sent back.” Toni finishes as Cheryl shivers at the thought of going back. The girls sit in silence as the emotional tool takes effect from yesterday. Cheryl playing with Toni’s necklace remembering the first day they met. Toni looks down at Cheryl silently playing with her necklace,

“What are you thinking about?” Toni asks as she moves some hair out of Cheryl’s face as Cheryl sighs.

“Why did you do it?” Cheryl whispers as Toni stops her breathe. She’s not dumb she knows what she’s referring to, she just wishes she hadn’t brought it up.

“My life,” Toni starts but then stops trying to figure out what to say. Toni looks down at her necklace as she feels tears wanting to come to her eyes.

“My life hasn’t been the easiest, sure maybe not as hard as yours, but it was, no it is hard and after yesterday the betrayal of someone I fell so hard for someone for the first time I felt myself wanting to open up to betray me, I just snapped I guess.” Toni laughs but it was filled with emptiness. “It’s like that old saying the last straw that broke the camels back or something.” Toni finishes as she looks away from Cheryl feeling so damn vulnerable.

“You like me?” Cheryl whispers sitting up straighter trying to look Toni in the eyes as Toni just whips her head around,

“That’s seriously all you got from that?” Toni huffs as she crosses her arms in annoyance, her big speech and this girl literally only heard one fucking thing unbelievable.

“Toni,” Cheryl exasperates as she lays her hand on Toni’s cheek getting really close to her face, to her lips Toni thought.

“I really like you too.” Cheryl’s eyes soften as Toni’s face turned bright red. After a few seconds of looking into Cheryl’s eyes she ducks down her head a bit with Cheryl’s hand still on her cheek and smiles,

“You know princess if you were anyone else- “

“You would have stabbed me by now from all the shit I’ve pulled.” Cheryl finishes Toni’s sentence as Toni just giggles agreeing. Suddenly though after a few seconds Toni snapped her head up and looked into Cheryl,

“Come back with me.” Toni states as Cheryl takes her hand off of Toni’s cheek and leans back scrunching her eyebrows in confusion,

“What?” But Toni kept going,

“Cheryl everyone thinks your dead and your fortune is just sitting there waiting to be claimed by the lost heir that was never found, you can have a home again.” But before Toni could go on Cheryl shook her head and stood up a bit angry.

“Did you not listen to me last night T? If I go back the sisters will find me and probably kill me this time for being a loose tyrant.” Cheryl shakes her head and starts to pace feeling her anxiety and the emotional turmoil of her childhood come arise again. Toni quickly stands up standing in front of Cheryl grabbing her hands gently trying to get her to calm down.

“Cheryl if you come back with me, I promise they will not hurt you I won’t let them I promise, but you can’t live here for another second it’s not okay.” Toni softly states as she goes to wipe a tear from Cheryl’s face as Cheryl still softly shakes her head.

“I’m seventeen Toni according to the law I still belong to the sisters and I’m a runaway if they find me again, I’m still there’s for another year and who knows what will happen to me in their care the third time, there was a reason I ran away the second time I got put with them.” Cheryl starts to fully cry now sobbing uncontrollably as Toni yanks her into her arms and starts to sway. She softly rubs Cheryl’s back whispering into her ear that it was okay no one was going to hurt her ever again.

“Cheryl, I know everyone you’ve ever met in your life has betrayed and really hurt you but you remember last night how you wanted me to take a chance on you, how you saved me last night from a huge mistake?” Cheryl quiets down but still doesn’t answer but Toni pushes,

“Remember what you wanted me to do last night Cheryl?” Toni urges trying to get Cheryl to listen as she finally starts to answer,

“Yes,” Cheryl sighs quietly as Toni nods keeping Cheryl in her arms,

“I need you to take that chance on me, trust me I will take care of you no one will hurt you.” Cheryl remains quiet for a few as Toni tries again pleading at this point.

“Please Cheryl you can’t stay here, and,” Toni pauses as she contemplates what to say next,

“and I don’t want to leave you.”

Toni whispers as she hugs into Cheryl tighter as Cheryl starts to sob again.

* * *

 

    As soon as Toni walked into the hotel it was about one in the afternoon and her teacher was livid.

“ANTOINETTE TOPAZ WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!” Toni stops in her tracks as she sees the whole school and teachers downstairs staring back at her. Betty of course was smirking, the boys looked really worried and Toni did feel a pang of guilt for that one, and Veronica looks at her with those sad puppy eyes, but the eyes of her teacher on the other hand was pretty livid.

“I ended up getting stuck in a cave by a tide.” Toni tells the truth knowing her teacher wasn’t going to believe her anyways so why not right?

“I don’t want to hear another word from you! You knew the rules and restrictions the principle put on you when you came on this trip and you decided to break them anyways.” The teacher puts her head down holding the bridge of her nose in anger contemplating Toni’s fate.

“I just say we throw her overboard.” Betty shrugs and looks at her nails and Veronica again rolls her eyes at her girlfriends’ antics.

“I say we make her swim home.” One of the football team guys joke as that made Sweet Pea turn around in anger.

“Why don’t you just howl somewhere else man don’t you got fleas to scratch somewhere mutt?” Sweet Pea gleams over as the jersey man squares up with the tall Serpent boy.

“What did you say you no good shedding snake?” As jersey boy pushes Sweet Pea and just about starts a fight when the teacher looks back up and glares.

“Will you knock it off! Everyone back to their rooms!” At that statement all the students groan as one of the Cheerleaders comments,

“Slinky Topaz ruins our activity for the day and we get sent to our rooms? Man, what a drag I did not pay money to just sit in a room all day.” The girl mumbles walking to the elevator. 

“You didn’t pay jack shit.” Toni states as the teacher just glares over to Toni.

“As for you considering we leave in about a day and a half anyway there’s no point in spending the buses gas to take a straight two-day trip on just sending you home. But you are now punished to your room and you are no longer allowed to leave for the remaining of this trip do you understand me?”

“How will I eat?” Toni sarcastically replies as the teacher just glares at her back just as angry,

“I’m sure we’ll find a way, now go your punishment starts now.” The teacher waves her off as Toni goes to her private room knowing damn well Betty locked her out of hers and it’s not like the teacher is really going to check on her anyway.

   Once Toni gets sent to her room, she lays on the bed and contemplates on her and Cheryl’s conversation earlier, if she does take Cheryl back how is she going to sneak her on the bus? Before long she hears a knock on the door and her heart soars, there’s only one person who knows about this room. She quickly gets up and opens the door, but her face instantly falls once she sees Sweet Pea and Fangs.

Sweet Pea smirks, “Wow Tiny don’t look to excited to see us.” As Sweet Pea comes in the room along with Fangs as Toni shuts the door and crosses her arms,

“How did you guys find out I was in here?” As Sweet Pea and Fangs lay on her single bed looking around the room. “Well funny thing is we go to your shared room with the Vixen It couple only to be told by the raven head you indeed had a private room we could come find you at, so tell me Topaz how you swing that? Because as far as I remember the punishment was you shared a room with idiot number one and idiot number two.” Toni just scoffs at the question,

“Could you believe the Vixen couple weren’t to happy they wouldn’t get their alone time, so they bought me off getting me my own room, it was a win win.” Toni didn’t lie per say but she also didn’t tell the whole truth, wanting to keep Cheryl to herself for one more night but she also knew if she wanted to get Cheryl out of here and with Toni, she would indeed need the boys help.

   After hanging and laughing for a bit like old times the boys headed out for curfew Toni went to the window to look out at the night sky watching as the full moon popped out behind the ocean pulling it up with it. As she goes to turn to go to bed, she hears shuffling of feet just outside her door. Toni searingly peers over to the door as she walks over. Before she could reach the handle, she hears a soft knock. Toni by then quickly opens the door as she’s met with the shy smiling red head. Toni quickly pulls her out of the hallway into her arms as she shuts the door in content.

“I knew you’d come.” Toni sighs into her arms as Cheryl does the same, both girls feeling whole with each other pulling each other in as far as they can go physically possible.

“I was worried when I didn’t see you on the beach." Cheryl pulls back pouting as Toni just giggles quietly.

“I am now grounded to my room for the remainder of my trip due to not returning for curfew and for missing half of the next day.” Toni shrugs as she pulls Cheryl over to bed with her.

    After both girls get in bed and settled in each others arms in the dark of the night Cheryl speaks.

“Toni?” Cheryl whispers into the room.

“Hm?” Toni half awake states.

“I want to go with you.” Cheryl states into the dark of the night as Toni shoots up all tiredness gone in a sitting position looking down at Cheryl surprised,

“You do?” Toni says as she puts a hand on Cheryl’s cheek smiling but looking into her eyes for conformation or doubt from her words, but Cheryl just shakes her head reading Toni's mind,

“I thought about your statement earlier and I know we just met, and it hasn’t even been ten days, but Toni I don’t want to leave you either.” Cheryl looks up into Toni’s eyes with tears in her eyes as Toni softly looks down on her. Toni then also looks down at Cheryl’s lips as she leans down and kisses Cheryl by surprise, but Cheryl quickly kisses back in the darkness of the room, the girls may have had shitty lives so far, but they knew together they were content.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took awhile time goes by fast when your life is busy. I will try harder to be better at this! Also not fully loving this chapter because it feels rushed bit here it is

Day 9

      I didn’t get much sleep the night before from sleeping on the hard-core ground and half dead and I sure didn’t get any tonight. I had figured the only way to get Cheryl on that bus was to cause enough distraction up front and sneak her through the back through the back door of the party bus. But in order to make that distraction I need help, I need to tell the boys about her. I turn my body from facing the ceiling to facing the red beauty sleeping peacefully next to me. For once she looked so peaceful, she didn’t look like she was hiding anything, nor did she look sad she looked at peace. I couldn’t help myself, but I reached my arm out to move some hair out of her face as I felt myself blush doing so. I don’t remember myself being this soft, not for anyone. Probably because I didn’t have anyone to be soft to. My parents were gone, my Uncle was an abusive drunken asshole, and the boys well their boys. Maybe that’s why I’ve felt so lonely I haven’t really met anyone I could put my guard down with, this girl laying besides me, the same girl I’ve been staring at for years is now right in front of me. I watch as her eyes flutter and my breathe stops.

“Hi.” She says very quietly that you’d miss it if you weren’t listening, I'm so nervous how is she going to react when I tell her.

“Hi.” Seriously hi that’s all you got? But she giggles anyway, and I feel myself softly smile.

“Today’s your last day.” She states. I look at her as she looks down away from me. I take my hand and feel under the covers until I feel her hand in mine. She looks back up at me and I smile.

“It’s our last day.” She bites her lip, I know she’s nervous, but she can’t stay here, and I can’t leave her. It’s kind of silly isn’t it, how can you fall for someone in 9 days? Someone I didn’t even know the identity of for the most part either, but I did, I have. I called the boys silly for telling them you can’t fall in love with a dead girl, boy i was wrong.

“Toni can we really do this?” She has tears in her eyes and yet she’s looking at me like I have all the answers in the world. I bit my lip.

“We can but, were gonna need help.” She looks at me confused as I sigh knowing what was next

* * *

 

     There’s a loud banging at the door as if it could burst down any second and I see Cheryl cower in fear as I tell her to go hide I the bathroom, that I needed to talk to the boys alone.

“Come on Tiny open up.” I sigh and run my hand through my hair, this wasn’t going to be easy but if the plan was going to work it needed to happen. I go to open the door and see the boys looking at me with their arms crossed and faces in frowns, but I saw the concern in their eyes.

“Well this better be a good reason, on our last day in paradise and you want to have a meeting.” Sweet Pea grunts and Fangs replies,

“Yeah Tiny everything okay?” Fangs puts his hand on my shoulder and I want to scoff at the gesture, but I just pat his hand instead and tell them to take a seat. It was time to come clean.

“Do you guys remember Cheryl Blossom?” I nervously ask while playing with my hands the same night I told Jughead about what it was really like to join a gang. The boys look at me confused and after a second Sweet Pea scoffs.

“You brought us in here for your girl crush on a dead girl?” and Fangs kind of laughs and adds,

“Yeah, are getting home sick because you can’t look at her picture every day?” and the boys even laugh harder, and I turn red.

“This isn’t funny you guys.” I say through my teeth trying to stop them remembering Cheryl in the bathroom and probably can her every word, but that doesn’t stop them,

“Hey Sweets, maybe we should’ve taken a picture on our cellphone of the memorial, so she wouldn’t be so lonely.” Oh, I’m really pissed now, but before I could say anything, I hear a voice and we snap our necks at the interruption.

“Why would she need a picture when she’s got the real thing?” I realize Cheryl came out of the bathroom and my eyes widen in horror as I look at the boys to see their reaction. They were stunned into silence and turning pale as Fangs starts to whisper,

“Gh-gho- “I walk over to Fangs and try to calm him down.

“Fangs- “but it was too late as the boys screamed together.

“GHOSSSTTT” They panic so I start to panic,

“You guys! Stop!” But they keep freaking out as they jump from the bed across the room dragging me with them away from Cheryl.

     I look over to Cheryl and see a brokenhearted face as I was being dragged away from her as if she was poison. I get angry as I rip from the boys grips and grab their arms.

“She’s not a ghost nor dangerous let me explain!” i gasp trying to breathe while being hauled.

“Explain what Topaz?! That your obsession was brought to life and now we can see her?!” Fangs screams again trying to leave the room as I cling to his jacket.

“Stay away from us!” Sweet Pea yells at Cheryl.

     Cheryl cowers back into the window as if she was going to jump out and away from the yelling. Cheryl’s eyes start to water, and I feel my heart break, damn it when did I start to care so much. I let go of the boys and groan and walk over to Cheryl. I walk up to her and before she could ask what I’m doing I grab her face and kiss her. I hear the boys go silent and Cheryl calm down as I pull back. She slowly opens her eyes and I rub her cheeks and smile fondly at her. She softly smiles back, and I pull away to look at the boys who look in shock.

“She’s not a ghost nor a murderer, she’s on the run from the sister of quite mercy who held her basically captive for years and ended up here where we are.” I say in one breathe as I watch as the boy’s mouths fell open in shock.

* * *

 

   After explaining the whole thing to them hours later they had calmed down by then and understood her side of the story just like how I had learned the day before. As Fangs asks Cheryl a bunch of questions I turn to look at Sweet Pea’s reaction and he doesn’t look happy. I frown back at him and he just says,

“Alone Topaz.” He grunts, and I give him a glare as I get up to walk with Sweets but as soon as I stand, I feel Cheryl tense up immediately.

    I look down at her and I see she’s looking up at me scared. I squeeze her leg and lean down to kiss her forehead and whisper in her ear,

“I’ll be right back it’s okay.” I get up and follow Sweet Pea outside the hotel room as I close the door and turn to him.

“So, what’s your problem dude?” I cross my arms and stare him down.

“My problem what’s your problem!” he yells quietly not trying to bring attention as couples pass by us as we smile innocently as they give us weird looks then go back to glaring at each other.

“What do you mean my problem Sweets?!” I quietly yell back, and he huffs and roll his eyes.

“Look her story? I get it but what about the past, her past? Our past? Are we just going to forget all that? She could even be lying and you’re just to blind to see it because you’ve been obsessed with her since we were kids and that never went away even after death! Well fake death now.” Sweet Pea Crosses his arms and I feel smoke come out of my ears.

“She doesn’t know about my past and she’s not going to! Like you said it’s in the past and it wasn’t even her problem to begin with she was a kid we all were! And why would she be lying about her story what the hell does she gain out of it besides pain and suffering of remembering those awful events?!” I yell a bit louder than whispering, I’m heated so sue me. Sweet Pea huffs

“Money? A free ride across trip? Your trust to gain something?" Sweet Pea lists as I just laugh sarcastically,

“Were Serpents Sweets she doesn’t want anything from us.” I mumble as he quips back,

“Her parents did.” He grunts as I snap up to glare at him but before I could say another word Fangs opens the door and smiles.

“Hey! Me and the lady were just chatting here and were starving how about getting some grub!” As the two watch as me and Sweets have a staring contest. After a few though I just scoff and walk away towards the elevators and Sweets does the same.

“Maybe they’re hangry.” Fangs jokes with Cheryl as she laughs, and I smile a bit knowing Fangs approves.

* * *

 

     As the four of us are sat down at a restaurant eating I go back to our original conversation for the problem at hand.

“Look in order for this plan to work all four of us need to be on board with this plan can we do that?” I ask mostly talking to Sweets but I didn’t want Cheryl to feel unwanted she may run away again and I don’t want that, at all.

“Yeah of course Toni we’d do anything to help you.” We all look at Sweet Pea as he’s silently chewing as he looks up at us and stops for a few moments and swallows.

“Yeah we got your back Topaz.” The fact he uses my last name I know he’s still angry with me and Fangs notices it too because he never uses my last name but luckily for once he keeps his trap shut as we come up with our plan for tomorrow morning of getting our new friend on the bus to go home.

* * *

 

     That night as we lay in bed I can feel Cheryl’s nerves jumble as I squeeze her and look over at her. She’s staring at the ceiling and I sigh,

“Whatcha thinking about babe?” I softly ask as I watch a few tears fall from her face as I go to wipe them away.

“I’m going home tomorrow Toni.” She whispers.

“If the plan works,” I joke a bit as she barley smiles. And I fully turn against her as she turns with me so were facing each other. I grab her chin lightly, so she looks at me,

“Hey, no one is going to hurt you. The sisters won’t reach you and your parents are gone. You are safe with me.” Cheryl smiles a bit and sighs,

“Sweet Pea doesn’t like me.” She whispers as I roll my eyes thinking back to my earlier conversation with that boy.

“Sweets will come around he is just really protective of me and doesn’t like strangers it’s part of the territory.” I glance over at my jacket as I say those words. She glances too, and I look back at her.

“I need to know this now Cheryl,” I pause, and she looks back at me worried.

“It doesn’t bug you that I’m in a gang does it?” She looks sadly at me knowing why I’m asking, I can’t let this gang take away someone else, not for the third time.

“Does it bug you I’m suspected for murder?” She jokes and we both laugh and cry a bit while laughing thinking how fucked our lives are. But we have each other and I think I want to keep her. We kiss each other goodnight and fall asleep in each other’s arms for tomorrow will be a whole other adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It may seem odd that in this chapter Cheryl comes off as clingy and needy. But you need to understand her mask she's had on for years finally came off she finally told her story to someone and that can be very triggering for someone who's locked it up for years. Not to mention Toni did try and kill herself right in front of Cheryl which I will get to but this is Cheryl going through all of that where as Toni right now is just trying to focus on a plan for Cheryl but will deal with herself later after the chaos.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again so sorry this took so long back i'm back now and intend on finishing this along with my other stories.

The alarm ringing came faster than anything has ever happened in my life. Although I know today is an important day, I’m still not a morning person. I flail my arm trying to find my damn phone so I can throw it against the wall, I didn’t care if that was my third phone, I was going to do it. But instead I felt something soft that startled me, before I could even register what it was it was gone, and the sound of the alarm stopped. I popped open my eyes and sat up as I saw Cheryl looking down smiling at me. I rub my eyes and groan, 

“I’m surprised you know how to work a phone,” I mumble as I hear the red head scoff, 

“I’ve been on the run for two years Toni not a century, besides you have an old phone.” Cheryl a bit angrily throws at my chest. I cringe a bit realizing what I said. 

“I’m sorry” I look over at her as she sits on the bed looking away from me. 

“I know that’s not what you meant; I know it was a joke.” Cheryl sighs, “I’m just s-scared of what’s going to happen today.” Cheryl looks over at me with tears in her eyes, “I’m going back to my own literal hell, facing what I’ve done all those years ago.” Cheryl squeezes her eyes shut. Trying to shut herself and me out, I know that feeling all too well, but I won’t let her do the same. 

“Hey,” I softly but firmly grab her hand and use my other hand to grab hold of her face, making her look at me.

“You did not kill your family, if anything you saved them. Maybe it wasn’t in the way you wanted it to happen, but it did, they’re free from this hell on earth of what they were probably going to turn into.” I try to reason with her letting go of her hand and grabbing the other side of her face making sure she’s hearing me, as she tries to shake her head. 

“How are you so sure?” She pleas with me trying to escape my words. But I shake my head with her as I put our foreheads together with both of us having tears run down our cheeks. 

“I don’t, but I’ve seen what long term abuse does to people firsthand, it always made me think they-I was better off dead, so I could be just projecting.” I shrug my shoulders and look down ashamed of the events days before, doing it right in front of an already shattered girl, she didn’t need any more added on. I feel the bruises ache whether if they actually hurt now or if it was just psychological at this point, either way I felt the pain. But I feel her grab my face, now making me look up at her. 

“You are not better off dead; this is only the beginning for both of us starting today.” She says to me as I laugh a bit softly. 

“Look at us, were both pretty fucked up. But you-your so strong despite everything that’s happened to you, you keep fighting and running.” I pull away from of her and go to stand up, not wanting to be close to her as I feel the shame from the events days before taking over. 

“I didn’t want to keep fighting I just wanted to rest for once, and not be afraid if I’m walking in to an angry uncle with a drinking problem ready to pound, or walking into school just praying Betty doesn’t see me so I didn’t have to hear her open her damn mouth.” Cheryl tries to open her mouth to interject, but it was to late I was on a role. 

“Or being in a damn gang watching people get hurt or killed who at the end of the day probably doesn’t deserve it and is just trying to make a living like us, like me.” I sigh feeling emotionally drained all over again as I sit on the bed. A few seconds pass and I feel arms wrap around my torso tight but not too tight, I smile a bit remembering that she remembered about my ribs. I feel her set her head on my shoulder as she whispers into my ear. 

“I’m strong because although it’s not an ideal place to be or live I have been free for two years getting to reflect and or dodge everything that’s happened, you haven’t you’re still living in your hell. In your own way you were just trying to run away as well seeming the only way you knew how.” She lets out. I look over to her putting my arms on her hands that’s wrapped around me. 

“But now were both going back to our hell.” I let out a bit scared, even though I’ve only been gone for ten days suddenly everything seems different, and I don’t know why but it feels scarier.

“But at least were going to do it together.” She smiles softly at me, and I can’t help but to smile back despite my fears and exhaustion. 

“Were going to protect you, no one will hurt you I promise.” As we both look over to my jacket hanging on a chair. As I feel my old fear creeping back into me. 

“That is if you let us,” I whisper softly. I feel her squeeze me softly as I look over to her. As she sits back a bit so she can look me in the eyes, moving her hand so it rests on my cheek. I have to do everything in my power not to wince, the only time someone ever touches my face is to slap me, usually just my uncle. 

“Toni, I do not see or feel the same way about you and who you are as Veronica does. That jacket to me just shows me a part of you. A part that just wants to protect me.” She says softly trying to calm my fear. 

“You know-“I go to start looking back over at the jacket.

“That’s exactly how the gang was started.” I say looking back over at her. She raises her eyebrows a bit interested. 

“Oh, really?” she asks scooting closer to me wrapping her arms back around me, you know I realized getting to know this girl more, she’s really touchy and feely. Probably years of being spent alone and isolated she probably craves touch, and I’m starting to realize I kind of like it. 

“Really,” I tensely put my hands back on top of her hands wrapped around me, still getting used to it. But before I could explain to her, we hear the door pound, breaking us from our trance. As we both jump from the bed as she distinctly gets behind me. Before we both could react next, we hear a voice. 

“Hey, are you guys coming down or what?” We hear Sweet Pea grunt on the other side of the door. We both look at the time and realized we’ve been talking for over an hour the time we were supposed to be getting ready for the day.   
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Will you stop jiggling around you’re making us look suspicious” Sweet Pea scowls looking down over at me. I glare up at him but stop moving because I know he’s right, as I cross my arms. Were all standing in line for head count as the teachers go down the line one by one. 

“I just want this to go right,” I say through my teeth so no one can hear us. 

“And it will if you don’t keep bouncing around like you have to use the bathroom or something.” Sweet Pea grunts as the teachers pass us counting for the second time. 

“Alright students, everyone on the bus one by one.” The teacher bellows out as the students groan not wanting to leave this place and they all start slowly pacing on to the bus. 

While the teachers look away, I quickly step out of line to go to the back of the bus. Thanking the only time, I’m short so I’m not really noticeable. As I get to the back of the bus, I turn to look at some trees ten feet away as I watch Cheryl pop her head out as I wave her over to come. She sees my signal and quickly hunches over to run over to me without being spotted. As she reaches me, I grab her hands lightly and whisper, 

“Okay now we just wait for Fangs to pop open the door.” I say as she nods her head.   
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sweet Pea doesn’t really understand why Toni is helping the girl who was and is the cause of her pain for all these years, if I would have met Cheryl first I would have done her in, not that I would ever hurt a girl, but this was different. I get on the bus and sweep over my eyes for my target. As soon as my eyes set sights on the menacing redhead I smirk, target acquired. 

“Hey Andrews, why not move over and let me talk up your girl for once? I bet I’d do hell of a better job.” I smirk knowing that’s one way to set off a dog, pee on their territory. 

Josie scoffs in disgust and puts her hand up and looks away as Andrews gets up faster than he does on the field getting in my face. 

“Slither off snake, don’t you have some other heads to bite off?” he growls exactly like a dog, I smirk knowing the plan is in full motion. Catch and release. 

“Now if only you got up that fast on the field, maybe we’d actually win a game for once.” I laugh swinging my hand back to pat my serpent member on the chest to laugh with me. There’s a bunch of ooh’s coming from the bus as Andrews pushes me. I push him back and slowly everyone joins in, creating the distraction.   
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I feel the bus start swaying back and forth a bit and I smile at Cheryl knowing the plan is working, as she smiles softly at me. Moments later we hear the back-door pop open a bit. Fangs pops his head out and smiles lending out his hand to help Cheryl in. 

“Ladies?” Cheryl giggles jumping into the bus as I just roll my eyes at Fangs nonsense and hop in myself.

We both slide into the last back seat as Cheryl lays down in my lap and I pull the blanket over, so it looks as if I just have a blanket over my legs. I watch as the teachers break up the brawl screaming at both parties for the fight. As the teachers decide now that all the serpents must sit in the back and the rest sit up front. I want to roll my eyes at the fact were the one’s to blame again. But this time it was for a reason, the teachers won’t come back here at all and therefore having Cheryl not seen once so ever. So, I just smirk, they all played right into my hands, Northside always so predictable. 

Sweet Pea sits across the isle form me next to Fangs. We both look at each other and nod our heads smiling, the plan worked and I’m so thankful. I almost feel bad though Sweets got a bad black eye that looks it could hurt, but i'm still a bit angry for his attitude towards Cheryl.

After the bus takes off, I take the blanket off of Cheryl’s head but leave the rest to cover her body as it’s not so warm on this bus and she needs to keep laying down in order to hide. 

“We did it Cheryl.” I whisper to her softly running my hands through her hair as she smiles big with all her teeth, my favorite smile. 

She yawns comfortably as she whispers to me, “Tell me how the serpents started.” She says as Sweet Pea looks over at her weirdly, no one ever asks about us.

I smile and start telling her the story of the serpents as I mindlessly run my hands through her hair as she drifts to sleep. I myself stifle a yawn, I’m exhausted myself but I’m look out and we got a long ride ahead of us.


End file.
